Defragmentation measures and the increase of a local European badger (Meles meles) population at Eindegooi, the Netherlands

Ontsnipperingsmaatregelen en de groei van de lokale dassenpopulatie (Meles meles) op Eindegooi . Vanaf 1984 zijn gegevens verzameld op het landgoed Eindegoed en omgeving. De das koloniseerde nieuwe terreinen. In dezelfde periode zijn vele ontsnipperende maatregelen bij wegen getroffen

Quantum SDP-Solvers: Better upper and lower bounds

Brand\~ao and Svore very recently gave quantum algorithms for approximately solving semidefinite programs, which in some regimes are faster than the best-possible classical algorithms in terms of the dimension $n$ of the problem and the number $m$ of constraints, but worse in terms of various other parameters. In this paper we improve their algorithms in several ways, getting better dependence on those other parameters. To this end we develop new techniques for quantum algorithms, for instance a general way to efficiently implement smooth functions of sparse Hamiltonians, and a generalized minimum-finding procedure. We also show limits on this approach to quantum SDP-solvers, for instance for combinatorial optimizations problems that have a lot of symmetry. Finally, we prove some general lower bounds showing that in the worst case, the complexity of every quantum LP-solver (and hence also SDP-solver) has to scale linearly with $mn$ when $m\approx n$, which is the same as classical.Comment: v4: 69 pages, small corrections and clarifications. This version will appear in Quantu

Information and communication on the designation and management of Natura2000 sites. Main Report 4: A Proposal for a Natura2000 partner award scheme

Following the selection of Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Sites of Community Importance (SCI) according to the Birds and the Habitats Directives, most European Member States are now in process of formally designating SPAs and SCIs as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) or Natura2000 sites. These protected areas collectively form the European Union’s Natura2000 network. Member States are also selecting and implementing adequate management approaches and instruments to maintain and restore the favourable conservation status of protected species and habitat types and to prevent damage to the integrity of the sites. Both actions follow Articles 6.1 and 6.2 of the Habitats Directive. To help the Member States, the European Commission wishes to improve the knowledge and exchange of information and good practice both on the designation process of SPAs and SACs and on the establishment of conservation measures and instruments for these areas. Furthermore, the Commission wants to stress the importance of the sites and their management by involving a wider group of stakeholders in the development of so-called integrated management, in accordance with Article 2 of the Habitats Directive. The project ‘PREPARATORY ACTIONS- Lot 2: Information and communication on the designation and management of sites’ (tender ENV.B.2/SER/2007/0076) is intended to help the Commission to achieve these objectives. This is a proposal to the European Commission (EC) for a new European award scheme recognising ‘Natura2000 Partner’ and ‘Natura2000 Partner of the Year’. Our brief was to “elaborate a proposal for a system for rewarding persons, organizations or institutions that have a particular merit in the management of and the communication on Natura2000 sites.” The brief further stipulated the need for an award that would select ‘Natura2000 Partners’ on an annual basis. From these, a selection would be made, enabling the EC to confer the title of ‘Natura2000 Partner of the Year’. Our proposal allows for Member States (MSs) to award this latter title, with an additional title of ‘European Natura2000 Partner of the Year’ being made annually by the EC

Digital inclusion in society.

Presentations about digital inclusion in society with main topics on where do we come from, where are we now and where are we going