This paper introduces with the specific objectives and initial results of the recently started project SmartOpenData - “Linked Open Data for Environmental Protection in Smart Regions” (SmOD project) that is supported by Seventh Framework ENV.2013.6.5-3: Exploiting the European Open Data Strategy to Mobilize the Use of Environmental Data and Information. The main concept of this project is based on idea to create real Linked Open Data (SmOD) infrastructure (also software tools and data sets) fed by freely available public data sources for biodiversity, environment protection and research in European rural territories, protected areas and national parks that satisfy the requirements of four (almost all possible) groups of target users of this product: public authorities, companies (also small and medium enterprises (SMEs), researchers and citizens. It is very important, that The SmOD project will focus also on how this initiative can be linked with the INSPIRE directive regulation, GEOSS Data-CORE, Copernicus (former GMES), completed environmental data related European scale Geographic Information System (GIS) projects (like Habitats project) and external third parties, as well as how it can impact economic and sustainability progress in European environmental protection and research. Five pilot project developments (for agro forestry management, environmental research and biodiversity, water monitoring, forest sustainability and environmental data re-use) will focus on metadata harmonization, semantic context how to reach spatial data fusion, as well how to visualize and publish the information in accordance of requirements of target users of that products.