PEATLANDS OF BELARUS: FROM INDUSTRIAL TO CONSERVATION USE THROUGH ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION

Abstract

With the intensive industrial development of peat deposits in the Republic of Belarus, the problem of depleted and inefficiently used territories is becoming increasingly pressing. This article presents the results of an assessment of potential uses for peat deposits with a total area of approximately 113 hectares, now no longer in commercial use. Field methods of landscape analysis, as well as office methods of processing archival materials and satellite images, were used to identify the genetic, geomorphological, and hydrological characteristics of the sites. Based on the data obtained, scientific justifications were developed for changing the land use from water management and agriculture to environmental protection. This approach complies with the provisions of the Law of the Republic of Belarus "On the Protection and Use of Peatlands" and promotes the restoration of the hydrological regime with an increase in the groundwater level of at least 20 cm from the surface. A comparative assessment of reclamation options is conducted, taking into account the biosphere functions of peatlands and the reduction of pyrogenic hazard. The article also examines current industrial uses of peat in Belarus (fuel and energy, agriculture, and biothermochemicals), with an emphasis on the prospects for developing non-fuel processing technologies. The study contributes to improved environmental safety, sustainable development, and rational nature management in the region's peat ecosystems.