page_title: Landesausbau
section_title: Climatic conditions
hierarchical_section_title: Landesausbau / Climatic conditions
context_page_description: Landesausbau describes medieval settlement and cultivation processes in regions of Western Europe that were previously only sparsely populated or uninhabitable. By means of clearing of woods and drainage of wetlands, new agricultural areas and new settlement areas were created.
  The processes of population expansion and resettlement led to an exchange of cultures and cultural diversity of languages, traditions and lifestyles. The Landesausbau changed the natural and cultural landscapes of Western Europe and continues to have an impact.
  The terminology “inland colonization“ to describe the Landesausbau has raised controversies between historians because of the linguistic parallelism to modern colonialism.
context_section_description: The Landesausbau was caused by several factors, including a moderate climate known as the Medieval Warm Period from about 950 to 1250, which resulted in a greater exploitation of the natural resources and in longer and more productive growing season.
caption: Northern Hemisphere temperature reconstructions for the past 2000 years
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