Minnesota has more acres of natural wild rice (
Zizania palustris) than any other state in the country. Wild rice has been historically documented in 45 of Minnesota's 87 counties and in all corners of the state. Anecdotal information suggests an even broader distribution prior to European settlement.
Harvest outlookWild rice is an important social and cultural component for Native American tribes and rural Minnesota communities.
Ecology
Wild rice is a persistent annual grass that reproduces each year from seed stock deposited in previous fall seasons. The plant typically grows in shallow to moderate water depths (1 – 3 feet) and is affected by water flow, turbidity, water quality and water level fluctuations. Wild rice is sensitive to varying water levels, and production in individual stands from year-to-year is highly variable depending on local water conditions.Wild rice beds are very attractive to migrating waterfowl, and many rice areas are traditional waterfowl staging and hunting areas.
Inventory & management
Although many of the larger wild rice beds are actively managed, there is a perception that rice abundance and distribution have declined over time, especially in many of the smaller beds along the margins of lakes and streams.A DNR assessment found over 1,200 lakes and rivers in 54 counties that currently contain or historically had wild rice. Over 64,000 acres of wild rice (out of roughly 2 million basin acres) were found on these waters. More than half of the acreage was found in Aitkin, Cass, Crow Wing, Itasca, and St. Louis counties.There are no similar historical summaries of wild rice distribution in the state, so there is no suitable method to assess changes in the extent of Minnesota's wild rice beds. A 1966 inventory estimated 15,000-30,000 acres of wild rice annually in 150 large beds, plus an additional several hundred smaller beds. Observations indicate that production on many traditional wild rice areas, especially those without active water level management, has been poor in recent years.Wild rice licenses were first required in 1957, and about 6,000-16,000 were purchased annually through the 1970s. People would sell the hand-harvested wild rice as supplemental income.In the 1980s, farmers began to grow wild rice in paddy operations and harvest it mechanically, thereby increasing supply. This increased supply resulted in a decrease in price for which hand harvesters could sell their labor-intensive product. Once the incentive of supplemental income was reduced, interest in hand-harvesting wild rice declined.Since the 1980s, license sales are between 1,000-2,300 per year. This fluctuation reflects variability in the wild rice crop from year to year, with more licenses being purchased in years with abundant rice.Funds from the sale of wild rice licenses supports DNR management of wild rice, including managing water levels on wild rice lakes, improving or maintaining outlets, and assessing habitat. Tribal management of historically important wild rice lakes has expanded in recent years and has included both stand restoration and annual water level management. In 2001 DNR and Ducks Unlimited began a cooperative project focused on intensive water level management on a number of important wild rice lakes. That joint effort continues today.
More information
Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are a serious threat to wild rice waters. Be aware of the risks and
help prevent the spread of AIS.For more information on wild rice in your area contact your local DNR wildlife manager or a
Shallow Lakes Program specialist.
