Dear Colleagues,

Forest utilisation, and timber harvesting in particular, consists of important human interactions with the natural environment. Sustainable Forest Operations (SFO) is the most recent paradigm of forest utilisation within modern forest management. SFO implementation requires a complex approach, where ecology, ergonomics, economics and social values are all taken into consideration.

Harvester and forwarder-based forest operations (cut-to-length, or CTL, technology) are the most advanced technological solutions for timber harvesting. CTL technology guarantees more comfortable working conditions, but also exposes the operator to new hazards in the form of increased mental workload and less variability in work tasks. Furthermore, the widely used motor-manual harvesting combined with various extracting options imposes great physiological strain on the operator. Both harvesting methods require further ergonomic examination in order to improve operator health and safety.

With this in mind, the objective of this Special Issue is to collect up-to-date research on sustainable forest operations with a special focus on ergonomics and human interaction with the working environment. This includes research on working conditions, the social implications of forest work, work organisation, as well as technological developments to limit physiological and mental workload. Another topic of importance for SFO is accident analysis and prevention, that is, measures to promote health and safety, which range from health issues arising from the occupational hazard of tick-borne borreliosis, reducing vibrations in the cabin of the CTL operator to the danger of felling trees and operating quadbikes while logging.

The aim of this Special Issue is to contribute to the dissemination of forest operations on both flat and steep terrain. Hence, studies on ecological, economic, ergonomic, and social values, as well as the quality of work in forest operations, will make valuable contributions to this issue.

Dr. Petros A. Tsioras
Dr. Carola Häggström
Prof. Dr. Piotr S. Mederski
Guest Editors

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• ergonomics
• cut-to-length (CTL) technology
• optimisation of forest operations
• health and safety
• motor-manual felling
• life cycle assessment
• product quality
• work organization
• environmental hazard