The impact of smoke-free policies on smoking at outdoor sports clubs:A qualitative study

Objectives Smoking may still occur at sports clubs with an outdoor smoke-free policy (SFP). This study aims to map the occurrence of smoking at various sports clubs in the Netherlands and to understand why smoking occurs at some clubs but not at others. Study design This was a qualitative design in the form of semistructured interviews. Methods Semistructured interviews (n = 34) were held online with smoking and non-smoking members of 17 Dutch outdoor sports clubs (in field hockey, korfball, football, and tennis) with an outdoor SFP. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Results We identified four situations where smoking still occurred: (1) directly at the entrance, (2) at some distance from the entrance, (3) in particular places on the premises, and (4) in various places or on occasions when alcohol is consumed. Smoking directly at the entrance was most often perceived as a bothersome situation that was difficult to avoid. The occurrence of these situations differed per sports club depending on the scope of the SFP (the comprehensiveness of the SFP and the presence or absence of a smoking area) and factors influencing policy compliance (physical characteristics of the sports club's premises, the presence or absence of children, and several enforcement difficulties). Conclusion In some sports clubs, smoking remained common on the premises despite an outdoor SFP. Exposure to second-hand smoke might be reduced by formulating a comprehensive SFP, improving policy compliance also in situations where children are absent, and organizing the enforcement of the policy

Verkenning beleidsopties met betrekking tot het subsidiabel maken van grond in het kader van het GLB: hectarebetalingen en dierpremies op landbouw- en natuurgronden

voorgestelde omslag van betalingen per bedrijf (bedrijfstoeslag) naar De voorgestelde EU beleid - omslag van betalingen per bedrijf (bedrijfstoeslag) naar betalingen per hectare (flat rate) betekent een ingrijpende verandering voor de Nederlandse landbouw. Eén aspect daarvan is helder te krijgen welke gronden straks nog wel of juist niet in aanmerking moeten komen voor het ontvangen van ondersteuning vanuit de Eerste Pijler. Dit betreft met name de schapen- en zoogkoeienhouderij op gronden met een natuurfunctie. In de studie zijn twee opties voor ondersteuning van deze sectoren in kwetsbare gebieden onderzocht: een regionaal systeem met aangepaste betalingen per ha grond met natuurfunctie en een systeem met gekoppelde dierpremies

Grazing as a conservation management tool:Responses of voles to grazer species and densities

Grazing is a widely applied conservation management tool, but the optimal regime for biodiversity conservation is still unknown. The effects of grazers on small mammals are not yet fully understood and mostly restricted to studies which compare grazed with ungrazed areas. We determined the effect of different livestock grazers and densities and a rotation regime, on voles in a conservation area in The Netherlands. We used a 7-year grazing experiment with horse and cattle grazing at two densities namely 0.5 and 1 animal ha(-1) (equivalent to 0.4 and 0.8 LSU), including a rotation regime i.e. 1 year summer grazing with 1 cattle ha(-1) followed by 1 ungrazed year. We recorded vole activity signs as a measure for presence (i.e. presence of burrow entrances, droppings, runways and plant clippings) in circular 2 m(2) plots along transects. Low grazer densities, regardless of species, corresponded to higher vole presence. Vole presence tended to be greater with cattle grazing than with horse grazing, but the difference was not significant. The increase in vole presence was greater in the rotation regime than with low or high density cattle grazing. The different vole activity signs provided similar results to each other with the exception of burrow entrances, suggesting that this measure is less accurate in predicting vole presence. Hence, voles clearly responded to the different grazing regimes. Our results have high relevance for conservation, in particular in systems where small mammals contribute to important ecological processes (e.g. bioturbation, seed dispersal) and play a crucial role in the survival of (iconic) higher trophic level taxa such as raptors or mammalian predators. In such systems, conservation management may best implement low-density cattle or rotation grazing. (C) 2018 Gesellschaft fur Okologie. Published by Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved

The contribution of Dutch municipalities to stimulate smoke-free outdoor sports clubs:A qualitative study

Local governments may play a key role in making outdoor sports clubs smoke free. This study aims to assess the activities, motives, challenges and strategies of Dutch municipalities regarding stimulating outdoor sports clubs to become smoke free. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 policy officers of different municipalities in the Netherlands. The included municipalities varied in terms of region, population size and degree of urbanization. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Municipalities stimulated sports clubs to become smoke free by providing information and support and, to a lesser extent, by using financial incentives. Motives of municipalities varied from facilitating a healthy living environment for youth, responding to denormalization of smoking and aligning with goals formulated in national prevention policy. Policy officers faced several challenges, including limited capacity and funds, a reluctance to interfere with sports clubs and little support within the municipal organization. These challenges were addressed by employing various strategies such as embedding smoke-free sports in a broader preventive policy, setting a good example by creating outdoor smoke-free areas around municipal buildings, and collaborating with stakeholders in the municipality to join forces in realizing smoke-free sports clubs. Municipalities demonstrated evident motivation to contribute to a smoke-free sports environment. Currently, most municipalities fulfil an informative and supportive role, while some municipalities still explore their role and position in relation to supporting sports clubs to become smoke free. Other municipalities have established, according to them, effective strategies

Impact of coupled EU support for sugar beet growing: more production, lower prices

In the 2013 negotiations on the ‘new CAP’ (Common Agricultural Policy), the option of voluntary coupled support (VCS) for sugar beet growing was introduced, which has been implemented from 2015 onwards by ten and from 2017 by eleven Member States. In 2017, a great change took place in the EU sugar sector through the abolishment of the sugar quota system, leading to an increase of competition between sugar companies and more fluctuating sugar prices than before. In such a dynamic context, questions were raised about potentially destabilising production and market effects of a VCS-regulation and about its legitimacy