Background The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 and the EU strategy on adaptation to climate change each stress the importance of addressing climate change through the effective management of Natura 2000 sites. It is necessary to integrate adaptation to climate change in biodiversity policies, including those that relate to Natura 2000 site management. Some 27% of Spanish territory is part of the Natura 2000 network and thus legally protected for nature conservation purposes. One of the goals of the 2014-2020 work programme of Spain’s National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change is the “development of guidelines for integrating adaptation into instruments of management of natural resources and planning and management of protected areas". Objectives The LIFE_Redcapacita2015 project's aim is to improve the management of forests in the Spanish Mediterranean regions included in the Natura 2000 network, so as to incorporate objectives of biodiversity conservation and adaptation to climate change. This objective will be achieved through the training of Natura 2000 managers and the development of management tools for Natura 2000 forest areas, which explicitly incorporate scientific knowledge and expertise to improve management effectiveness. To achieve its goal the project has defined several specific objectives: Providing benchmarks for evaluating the conservation status of Mediterranean forest habitats. The project intends to identify a network of forests that can serve as a reference of good conservation status for different types of forest habitat, based on a system of indicators agreed between researchers and managers. This network should be available to final users on an online collaborative platform; Incorporating criteria for biodiversity conservation and adaptation to climate change in forest planning and management. The project aims to identify and disseminate good practice regarding the inclusion of conservation and adaptation criteria in forest planning and management, and to develop demonstrative forest conservation pilot plans and management actions; and Ensuring the transfer of knowledge to the target audience and stakeholders through improved capacity building (training, exchange of expertise, enhanced access to information). The project will provide managers of state forests with tools for new management approaches and involve key stakeholders in the management of Mediterranean forests (private owners, policymakers, and others), taking into account biodiversity and climate adaptation objectives. Expected results: The project expects to achieve the following results: Creation of benchmarks for evaluating the conservation status of Mediterranean forest habitats. These will include: the creation of a network of reference forests, consisting of at least 15 forests identified as having a good conservation status (at least one reference forest for each Mediterranean forest habitat type); Creation of an online knowledge platform that enables users to answer queries and learn more about the network of reference forests; Sharing of at least 20 case studies of forest management good practices on the online knowledge platform; Publication of guidelines to assist in the design and implementation of forestry management on Natura 2000 sites that meets conservation and adaptation objectives; Approval of management plans for pilot projects in 5 000 ha of Mediterranean forest based on protocols developed by the project; Demonstration restoration actions on 10 ha of Mediterranean forest; Actions to improve the condition of 6 ha of mature Mediterranean forest; Pilot actions to manage 50 ha of forests in accordance with the project’s criteria for biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation; Inform 100% of the target audience of forest owners, foresters, NGOs and policymakers of the actions and results of the project; Improve the capacity for forest management in Natura 2000 network sites of at least 80% of the target audience; and Transfer of the results to an international audience.