%0 Research Notes %T Use of mires for agricultural, berry and medical plant production in Soviet Karelia %A Vasander, Harri %A Lindholm, Tapio %D 1987 %J Suo - Mires and peat %V 38 %N 2 %U http://suo.fi/article/9627 %X The utilization of mires and some recent research results carried out in Soviet Karelia (ASSR), USSR are discussed. There are 3.5 million ha of peatlands and 1.7 million ha of paludified forests. Some 78 000 ha of drained peatlands are used for cultivation of forage and vegetable crops and there are plans to increase this amount. Some 38 000 ha of virgin peatlands have been preserved for berry production (Vaccinium oxycoc-cos, Rubus chamaemorus). The cultivation of cranberry has also been studied. Karelian peatlands are also used as resources of medicinally important plants: e.g. Me-nyanthes trifoliata, Ledum palustre, Potentilla palustris, Droseraspp., Vaccinium vitis-idaea. Key words: peatland utilization, agriculture, berry production, medical plants, Soviet Union.