Lithuania's forests have been extensively cut over the past few decades, and wet forests are especially affected as nearly 80% of wetlands were drained during the Soviet period. Although some 16% of the country's total national forest cover is projected, selective cuttings in mature stands are permitted even in botanical or zoological managed reserves. However legislation exists which when invoked, can prevent cutting within certain distances of various raptor species' nests, such as Osprey, Lesser spotted Eagle, Honey Buzzard and the Black Stork.

This project will undertake a thorough survey of such nests in three key mire-forest areas and thereby ensure protection of significant sized forest plots, primarily mature and wet stands, which potentially could also contain rare and Red-listed insects, plants, fungi, lichens and mosses. The project team will involve members from both the NGO Lithuanian Fund for Nature and the State Institute of Forest Inventory and Management, thus strengthening co-operation between these two bodies. Once identified, the nests will be monitored annually to control their and adjacent plots, protection.