Operating in a Natural Environment

The cUmate is one of the most important natural factors. It is commonly defined as the weather averaged over a longer period of time and described by temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and other variables. It determines the length of the growing season and hence the agricultural crops and tree species that can be cultivated as well as the number of harvests per year. The cUmate of a certain region is affected by its latitude, altitude, terrain, snow, and ice cover as well as nearby water bodies and their currents. Machinery and management methods have to be adapted to the cUmate. Especially forest machinery has to be able to operate in extreme cold conditions of the harsh winters of the boreal cUmate zone. 

The type of soil, its chemical and physical properties are as equally important as the climate regarding the selection of crops and their yield. To maintain soil fertility and to prevent soil degradation are key factors for a sustainable yield. Although all management and harvesting operations should be soil-friendly, soil compaction due to heavy machinery and soil erosion due to unadjusted cultivation methods are still a problem in agriculture and forestry. 

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