This special issue of De Levende Natuur gives an actual overview of the different implementation strategies of the Bird- and Habitat Directives in The Netherlands and Flanders. The general idea in The Netherlands is that the targets should be practically and financially feasible. In Flanders this seems to play a less important role. An important element of the philosophy of the Dutch approach is that the extent, location and time schedules of the conservation objectives are worked out in more detail in the Natura 2000 management plans. As far as the approach in Flanders has been elaborated until now, it seems to develop also to a step-wise approach. Management plans in The Netherlands are guided by determining core tasks and 'sense of urgencies'. Since a lot of Nature 2000 sites in The Netherlands and Flanders are (ground)water depended, special attention must be paid to the elaboration of hydrological measures. The insertion of the special protected areas (Nature 2000) into the Water Framework Directive further strengthens the necessity for improvement of the hydrological conditions of the Nature 2000 sites. However, in both countries, ambitious Natura 2000 conservation objectives face big challenges in improving environmental conditions, improving the water conditions. Further improving the coherence of the ecological network via physical planning and other instruments is still a challenge. The development of the management plans will ask for a good cooperation of various public authorities, landowners, nature conservation organizations and other stakeholders. It is concluded that the success of Nature 2000 will depend on the realization of the measures, the quality of permitting and the effects of compensation measures.