Effects of indoor plants on office workers: a field study in multiple Dutch organizations

In the period 2019–2020, the effect of plants in the workspace on (a) the physical indoor climate, (b) the perception of the workspace by office workers, and (c) their health, well-being and functioning was investigated in nine organizations. This paper reports the outcomes of the latter part. A conceptual model describing the short-term, medium and long-term effect of plants on people was formulated, containing 18 outcome variables. A “Before After Control Impact” quasi-experimental research design was used. A control workspace and an intervention workspace were selected in each of the organizations. A pre-measurement was conducted in both. Correlational analyses, based on the pre-measurements in all organizations and workspaces, confirmed the associations proposed by the conceptual model to a large extent. After placing plants in the intervention workspace, a maximum of two post-intervention measurements were conducted (due to COVID-19 not in all nine organizations), the last one at least 4 months after the introduction of the plants. Overall significant effects were found on complaints about dry air (fewer), the sense of privacy (higher), the attractiveness of the workspace (higher), satisfaction with the workspace (greater) and having a health-related complaint, especially when at work (fewer). The first three effects were already observed in the analyses only including the first post-measurement. The latter two effects only showed up in the analyses including two post-measurements. No direct effect of the plants could be demonstrated on the 13 other outcome variables. The observed effects mainly concern outcome variables that are positioned at the beginning of the proposed causal chain, starting with plants and ending with mental health, absenteeism and job satisfaction

Research challenges for cultural ecosystem services and public health in (peri-)urban environments

Urbanization is a global trend, and consequently the quality of urban environments is increasingly important for human health and wellbeing. Urban life-style is typically associated with low physical activity and sometimes with high mental stress, both contributing to an increasing burden of diseases. Nature-based solutions that make effective use of ecosystem services, particularly of cultural ecosystem services (CES), can provide vital building blocks to address these challenges. This paper argues that, the salutogenic, i.e. health-promoting effects of CES have so far not been adequately recognised and deserve more explicit attention in order to enhance decision making around health and wellbeing in urban areas. However, a number of research challenges will need to be addressed to reveal the mechanisms, which underpin delivery of urban CES. These include: causal chains of supply and demand, equity, and equality of public health benefits promoted. Methodological challenges in quantifying these are discussed. The paper is highly relevant for policy makers within and beyond Europe, and also serves as a review for current researchers and as a roadmap to future short- and long-term research opportunities. Highlights • Concerns positive public health impacts of urban nature's cultural ecosystem services (CES). • Discusses global development trends' implications for the provision and demand of CES. • Discusses current research and key research questions for a new research agenda

Integrative policy development for healthier people and ecosystems : a European case analysis

There is growing evidence of the inter‐relationships between ecosystems and public health. This creates opportunities for the development of cross‐sectoral policies and interventions that provide dual benefits to public health and to the natural environment. These benefits are increasingly articulated in strategy documents at national and regional level, yet implementation of integrative policies on the ground remains limited and fragmented. Here, we use a workshop approach to identify some features of this evidence–implementation gap based on policy and practice within a number of western European countries. The driving forces behind some recent moves towards more integrative policy development and implementation show important differences between countries, reflecting the non‐linear and complex nature of the policy‐making process. We use these case studies to illustrate some of the key barriers to greater integrative policy development identified in the policy analysis literature. Specific barriers we identify include: institutional barriers; differing time perspectives in public health and ecosystem management; contrasting historical development of public health and natural environment disciplinary policy agendas; an incomplete evidence base relating investment in the natural environment to benefits for public health; a lack of appropriate outcome measures including benefit–cost trade‐offs; and finally a lack of integrative policy frameworks across the health and natural environment sectors. We also identify opportunities for greater policy integration and examples of good practice from different countries. However, we note there is no single mechanism that will deliver integrative policy for healthier people and ecosystems in all countries and situations. National governments, national public agencies, local governments, research institutions, and professional bodies all share a responsibility to identify and seize opportunities for influencing policy change, whether incremental or abrupt, to ensure that ecosystems and the health of society are managed so that the interests of future generations, as well as present generations, can be protected

Effects of indoor plants on office workers: a field study in multiple Dutch organizations

In the period 2019–2020, the effect of plants in the workspace on (a) the physical indoor climate, (b) the perception of the workspace by office workers, and (c) their health, well-being and functioning was investigated in nine organizations. This paper reports the outcomes of the latter part. A conceptual model describing the short-term, medium and long-term effect of plants on people was formulated, containing 18 outcome variables. A “Before After Control Impact” quasiexperimental research design was used. A control workspace and an intervention workspace were selected in each of the organizations. A pre-measurement was conducted in both. Correlational analyses, based on the pre-measurements in all organizations and workspaces, confirmed the associations proposed by the conceptual model to a large extent. After placing plants in the intervention workspace, a maximum of two post-intervention measurements were conducted (due to COVID-19 not in all nine organizations), the last one at least 4 months after the introduction of the plants. Overall significant effects were found on complaints about dry air (fewer), the sense of privacy (higher), the attractiveness of the workspace (higher), satisfaction with the workspace (greater) and having a health-related complaint, especially when at work (fewer). The first three effects were already observed in the analyses only including the first post-measurement. The latter two effects only showed up in the analyses including two postmeasurements. No direct effect of the plants could be demonstrated on the 13 other outcome variables. The observed effects mainly concern outcome variables that are positioned at the beginning of the proposed causal chain, starting with plants and ending with mental health, absenteeism and job satisfaction

Verkenning bronmaatregelen voor stikstofreductie in de provincie Fryslân : Input voor uitvoeringsprogramma en een gebiedsgerichte uitwerking van de Structurele Aanpak Stikstof in Fryslân

Sinds de uitspraak van de RvS in 2019, die een streep heeft gezet door de PAS-systematiek, zoeken de overheid en de sectoren naar oplossingen voor het stikstofprobleem. Provincie Fryslân werkt, samen met de verschillende sectoren die stikstof uitstoten, aan een uitvoeringsprogramma stikstof met een op Fryslân toegespitste aanpak. Dit programma moet er de komende jaren voor gaan zorgen dat er weer balans komt in de economische/maatschappelijke ontwikkelingen én het beschermen van de Friese stikstofgevoelige natuur. In deze studie is voor de provincie Fryslân onderzocht wat het effect van de bronmaatregelen meer weidegang, mest verdunnen met water, eiwitarmer voeren en emissiearme stallen is op de stikstofdepositie en in hoeverre deze maatregelen bijdragen aan het behalen van de stikstofdoelstellingen voor de voor stikstof gevoelige Friese Natura 2000-gebieden, ervan uitgaande de alle sectoren een evenredige bijdrage leveren aan de stikstofreductie opgave. Daar waar deze doelstelling voor landbouw niet gehaald wordt zijn gebiedsgericht aanvullende maatregelen doorgerekend. Het gaat dan om de bronmaatregelen opkopen van bedrijven of extensiveren in 2 varianten (30 of 50% minder dieren, minder mesttoediening)

Naar een gebiedsaanpak: doorrekening landelijke stikstofmaatregelen in Gelderland : Een basis voor een gebiedsgerichte uitwerking van de Structurele Aanpak Stikstof in Gelderland

Sinds de uitspraak van de RvS in 2019, die een streep heeft gezet door de PAS-systematiek, zoeken de overheid en de sectoren naar oplossingen voor het stikstofprobleem. In de brief van 24-4-2020 van LNV kondigt de minister een pakket met natuurherstel- en stikstofreducerende maatregelen aan met als doel om in 2030 minimaal 50% van het areaal stikstofgevoelige natuur onder de kritische depositiewaarden te krijgen. Hiervoor wordt een landelijk pakket aan bronmaatregelen in diverse sectoren ingezet. In een uitwerking hiervan voor de provincie Gelderland is onderzocht op welke manier bronmaatregelen in de landbouw gebiedsgericht zo slim mogelijk ingezet kunnen worden. Slim inzetten leidt tot een hogere reductie van de stikstofdepositie, is kosteneffectiever en sluit beter aan bij de andere gebiedsopgaven

Ruimtelijke kwaliteit van kringlooplandbouw : definities en perspectieven door verschillende actoren

The aim of this report is to operationalize the so far ill-defined concept ‘spatial quality’ in the context of circular agricultural landscapes. A literature study resulted in a spatial quality framework consisting of 16 spatial quality aspects for agricultural landscapes: historicity, regional character, diversity, coherence, degree of openness, naturalness, cues of care, seasonality, non-visual sensory experience, profitability, recreational opportunities, local economy, biodiversity, abiotic quality, circularity and sustainability. The importance of these aspects according to different types of actors (farmers, recreationists, local inhabitants and experts) is assessed by means of a survey. Based on the survey the aspects abiotic quality, biodiversity, profitability and sustainability are considered the most important aspects to determine spatial quality of circular agriculture, but the importance attached to most spatial quality aspects varies between actor types: farmers value 14 spatial quality aspects differently than other actors, while differences are smaller between other actor types. In order to better take the interests of different actor types into account, we recommend their involvement in the formulation and evaluation of area specific spatial quality goals. To this end, the spatial quality framework can provide a basis for a shared language regarding the concept ‘spatial quality’

Annual numbers and percentages of human cases over three cumulative distance classes, associated with at least one QFPF with land, one QFPF without land or both within three distance classes.

<p>Annual numbers and percentages of human cases over three cumulative distance classes, associated with at least one QFPF with land, one QFPF without land or both within three distance classes.</p

Population, human cases and human incidence around QFPFs, contaminated land parcels and non-contaminated land parcels within three distance classes in 2009.

<p>*incidence = number of human cases*100000/population.</p

Annual numbers and percentages of notified human cases over three cumulative distance classes, associated with at least one QFPF, one contaminated land parcel or one non-contaminated land parcel.

<p>Annual numbers and percentages of notified human cases over three cumulative distance classes, associated with at least one QFPF, one contaminated land parcel or one non-contaminated land parcel.</p