BY INGA WOLFRAM*, DONNA ARRABAL, ELSKE VAN DEN BRINK, JENNIFER KORTERINK DE VRIES
TABLES: THE AUTHORS
Editor’s note: While the full article – “Motivation without means? Behavioural drivers and barriers to biodiversity implementation on Dutch equine yard” – appears self explanatory, it’s suggested that readers compare the Dutch-centric context to their own geographical and social landscape, and seek to implement their own measures to improve biodiversity.
Equine yards represent a substantial yet often overlooked land-use category in Europe, with potential to contribute to biodiversity and environment conservation. This study explored behavioral drivers and barriers to biodiversity implementation on Dutch equine yards using the COM-B model (Capability, Opportunity, Motivation—Behavior). Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 yard owners, covering both private and commercial operations ranging from <3 hectares to>3 hectares.
Data were analyzed thematically using a deductive COM-B framework, with coded responses quantified to assess the relative weight of barriers and enablers. Reflective motivation emerged as a consistent enabler, grounded in values such as equine welfare, sustainability, and responsible land use. However, barriers were more prevalent overall, particularly within physical and social opportunity. Small yards faced constraints related to time, labor, and land tenure, while larger yards reported challenges integrating biodiversity into routines and navigating regulatory complexity. Psychological capability was not a major constraint, though yard owners expressed a clear need for externally sourced, informed advice.
These findings suggest that while motivation is high, structural barriers limit implementation. Unlocking the ecological potential of equine yards will require targeted, size-sensitive policy support, recognition of their land stewardship role, and better integration of biodiversity into daily management practices.
1. Introduction
Biodiversity loss represents one of the most critical global challenges of our time. Over the past decades, global ecosystems have suffered unprecedented declines in species richness, genetic diversity, and habitat connectivity, with far-reaching implications for food security, climate resilience, and planetary health [1,2]. In Europe, agricultural land use is considered one of the principal drivers of biodiversity decline, with over 50% of species at risk directly affected by land-use practices [3,4]. The Netherlands, where more than half the land surface is designated for agriculture, has experienced some of the steepest biodiversity losses in Europe, with losses of 57% of meadow bird species between 1980 and 2020 [5], and 80% in grassland butterflies over the past century [6,7].
In response, European and national policies increasingly emphasize the role of natureinclusive land management and green-blue infrastructure in promoting environment conservation and reversing biodiversity decline [8-10]. Green-blue infrastructure is defined as interconnected networks of semi-natural elements such as hedgerows, tree lines, ponds, and flower-rich margins and has been shown to support habitat connectivity, pollination, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, and climate adaptation [11,12].
To date, much of the transition towards more nature-inclusive land management focuses on productive agricultural land, overlooking other expansive land-use types that hold substantial, and often underutilized, potential for ecological contribution. Among these, equine yards and grazing areas constitute a significant, yet underrecognized, land category [13,14]. Across the European Union, horse-related land use covers an estimated 6 million hectares (ha) [13,15]. Unlike other livestock sectors, the equine sector spans a hybrid terrain: it is at once agricultural and recreational, rural and peri-urban, productive and symbolic [16-20]. It stands to argue, therefore, that equine yards offer a unique entry point into the intersection of land use, biodiversity, and socio-cultural values...
CLICK HERE TO READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE IN THE ONLINE EDITION OF BREEDING NEWS
