Background This ambitious project covers all of the SCI/SPA areas of riparian and wetland habitats located in the Mediterranean Biogeographical Region of Castilla y León. These sites comprise 17% of the Natura 2000 sites in this Autonomous Community. It involves a total of 13 SPAs (3 wetlands and 10 riparian areas) and 47 SCIs (11 wetlands and 36 riparian areas). One of the main challenges for these areas is ensuring coherence and co-operation between the different authorities and stakeholders engaged in water and nature management. It can be difficult to prevent duplication and overlapping of actions, or even different actions that are at cross purposes between different agents looking to achieve their own specific objectives. Objectives The aim of this project is to prepare, on the basis of the approach of the Priority Action Frameworks (PAFs), concrete and operational measures for the Natura 2000 network. The 'MedWetRivers' project seeks to develop coordinated management of the wetland/riverine Natura 2000 sites in Castilla y León. It specifically aims to develop a management programme and a monitoring programme for 60 Natura 2000 sites in Castilla y León (SCIs and SPAs) related to water ecosystems (wetlands and rivers). It thus seeks to coherently achieve the multiple objectives of the Birds, Habitats and Water Framework directives in the region. The project will work to develop cooperation and integrated approaches among the different authorities with competences in water and nature management in Castilla y Leon. It will also improve cooperation with the other national water authorities with important river basins in the region, covering the Tajo, Ebro and Miño-Sil rivers. It will ensure the participation of all stakeholders in the establishment of indicators, threshold values and methodologies to agree both a Management and a Monitoring Programme for the conservation of water-dependent habitats and species of Community interest in the River and Wetland SCI/SPAs of Castilla y León. It aims to improve the coherence of the Natura 2000 network and thus deliver concrete ecological benefits to the region. Expected results The project expects to achieve the following results: Establishment of Management and Monitoring Plans for the River and Wetland SCI/SPAs of Castilla y León; Harmonisation of the regional implementation of the Habitats and Birds directives with the Water Framework Directive and the European Strategy on biodiversity; To guarantee the maintenance or restoration at a “favourable” conservation status of water dependent habitats and species of Community interest within the region; Improvement in the public perception of Natura 2000 and increased participation in implementing the network at regional level; To contribute to the integration of the Natura 2000 network in various related sectors and environmental legislation; and To provide a management and monitoring model for water-dependent habitats to other regional governments in Spain (and beyond).