This is the first planning guide to meet the requirements of Natura 2000 sites and it brings a new dimension to the modern literature on conservation management. Combining key theories with real practice it fills a critical gap which has often hindered understanding of the planning process. The book provides historical and rational background which helps to explain what makes a really effective management plan, and it presents a practical guide to developing such a plan. It concludes with a series of case studies which illustrate the underlying principles drawn out in the text, while highlighting the different approaches demanded by very different sites.