Opportunities for peat deposits use in the Jewish Autonomous Region

In the article, the authors consider peat deposits as a unique natural resource to be applied in in the energy sector, in agriculture – for soil fertility and aeration, in the production of building materials, organic fertilizers, and in medicine. The paper summarizes the data on peat deposits for the Jewish Autonomous region. It has been accounted for 30 peat deposits in the region to 2024.  It has been given some individual deposits reserves balance and their brief characteristics. The authors show possibilities of its use in agriculture as fertilizers and for peat pots production, as energy raw materials for the needs of greenhouses, in the production of organic fertilizers, in construction, and in balneology. Previously, peat in the Jewish Autonomous region was used mainly as an agro-industrial raw material to improve the structure and fertility of soils, and it was practically not used as a fuel and energy raw material. It is emphasized that the environmental consequences of peat extraction are primarily related to changes in the hydrological regime of the swamp landscapes of the Central Amur Lowland, which perform an environmental-forming function in the territory, accounting for 28% of the total area of the region. In order to extract minerals, it is necessary to carry out drainage works. It is concluded that peat is an important natural resource of the region, primarily in terms of its use for agriculture, organo-mineral fertilizers production through composting peat with waste from livestock and poultry production, and its use for balneological purposes. It is necessary to continue studying the region peatlands, in order to determine their further exploitation, considering their ecological and natural significance.