Background The priority habitat (sub-)Mediterranean pine forests with endemic black pines (Pinus nigra) only occurs in a limited number of fragmented sites in medium and high mountain zones in southern EU countries. Spain hosts more than half the EU total of 169 sites. This forest habitat has suffered a great reduction of its distribution area during the past three decades, mainly due to forest fires. In Catalonia, around 30% of this habitat was lost to fire between 1994 and 1998. Around two-thirds of this forest habitat in Spain (96.2 ha) is considered at very high risk of fire. The pine forests of the Pyrenees and Sistema Central mountain ranges are considered the most vulnerable largely due to predictable increases in dry periods and temperatures caused by climate change. During large fires, all seedlings and saplings are burned and tree survival rates are usually very low. After fires, the European black pine suffers a lack of regeneration and strong competition with other species, such as the Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis) and the sub-Mediterranean oak (Quercus pyrenaica), limiting the natural regeneration of this habitat of Community interest. Objectives The LIFE+ Pinassa aims to contribute to the conservation of (sub-)Mediterranean pine forests with endemic black pine (Pinus nigra) in Catalonia. It plans to deliver conservation actions with a strong demonstration potential over a total of 360 ha of habitat across 10 Natura 2000 sites. The project aims to protect the few remaining areas of black pine with exceptionally mature trees, and high biodiversity and landscape quality. It will also regenerate over-exploited, damaged or destroyed areas of forest of different levels of maturity, aiming to create heterogeneous, stable areas of black pine forest. The project also plans to increase the resilience of both new and old areas of black pine forest to both large fires and climate change. The project team will also seek to reduce other disturbances and regulate scientific and public use. The team also expects to develop planning and management tools as well as training aimed at managers and owners of forest sites. Expected results: Improved conservation state of existing stands of black pine with high ecological value over 39.6 ha, including 28 ha of forest in private estates with land lease; Improved biodiversity, heterogeneity, stability and resilience of intensively exploited mature forests over 68 ha; Improved structure, maturity and biodiversity of intensively exploited forests with an irregular structure over 48 ha; Improved biodiversity, heterogeneity, stability and resilience of young and dense stands of forest over 42.4 ha; Recovery actions of black pine forest stands destroyed by fire over 36 ha; Sylvicultural treatments in 65 ha of critical areas of forest leading to increased protection against large wildfires over 10 700 ha of black pine forest: 9 200 ha in the pre-Pyrenean and Central Region, and 1 500 ha in the Southern Region; Recreation of the natural dynamics associated with low intensity fires in mature stands of black pine over 21 ha; A web-based, GIS decision-support tool for habitat management of black pine forest; Technical material containing recommendations for appropriate habitat management; A system of biodiversity indicators for monitoring black pine forests; and Reduced conflict between the ecological, economic and social functions of black pine forests.