The Bemidji area Natural Resources Continuing Education Consortium hosted an educational workshop "Peatlands of Northern Minnesota: Economy and Ecology" with sponsorship support from the Northwest Partnership. Speakers from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota, Bemidji State University, and US Forest Service addressed ecologic and economic aspects of peat and peatlands. The workshop also attracted participants from all directions including Winnipeg, Duluth / Superior area, Crookston, Red Lake peatlands area and the Twin Cities.

For more information about the Bemidji Area Natural Resources Council see http://www.cri-bsu.org/natresproject.html

Workshop Presentations

• Peatland Ecology"-Paul Glaser, University of Minnesota
• "Peatlands: It's the water!"- Sandy Verry, US Forest Service
• "Vascular Plants of the Red Lake Peatlands"- Welby Smith, Botanist, MN DNR
• "For Peat's Sake: what's that out in the bog?"-Bill Berg, Wildlife Biologist, retired, MNDNR
• "Bogs and Ecotourism"-Katie Haws, Nongame Specialist, MN DNR
• "Protecting the Natural Resources of the Big Bog State Recreation Area"- Cindy Lueth, Big Bog State Recreation Area Resource Specialist, MN DNR
• "Peatland Scientific and Natural Area" & "Peatland Plant Communities Key"- Janet Boe, NW MN Regional Plant Ecologist, MN DNR
• "The Natural Value of Peatlands"- Rick Koch, Assistant Professor of Biology, Endowed Chair of Wetlands Ecology, BSU
• "Peat in the Release and Removal of Chemical Compounds"- Drago Bilanovic, Associate Professor of Environmental Engineering, BSU
• "Peat Utilization with Respect to Conventional Use and Water Purification"- Fu-Hsian Chang, Professor of Environmental Studies, BSU; Director, Environmental, Earth & Space Studies
• "Forest Management and Timber Harvesting in Minnesota Peatlands"-Dick Rossman, Forester, MN DNR
• "Dollars & Sense"- Pat Welle, Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies, BSU

Big Bog Familiarization Tour

The Northwest Partnership, Explore Minnesota Tourism and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hosted a fam tour in August 2004, highlighting the features of Minnsota's Big Bog. The Big Bog is a low-lying, sedimentary plain that was once the bed of post-glacial Lake Agassiz. The Bog contains open sphagnum bogs, black spruce bogs, peat bogs, white cedar swamps, and lake beaches.

The Big Bog contains the largest, most diversely patterned peatland in the United States. It lies in the middle of the Agassiz Lowland landscape region in the north central part of Minnesota. The Big Bog is over 50 miles long and 12 miles wide this unique land feature contains the largest and best-developed water track in the United States. The area contains ovoid islands; circular islands, raised bogs, and every pattern of fen feature-tear drop islands, and ribbed fens. This national treasure also provides habitat for many interesting animals including the Eastern Timber Wolf, the Short-Eared Owl, Yellow Rail and the Greater Sandhill Crane.

Attending media toured the Big Bog via car, boat, on foot and in a helicopter to witness first-hand the fascinating characteristics and inhabitants of this unique natural post-glacial phenomenon.

Janet Boe, MN DNR plant ecologist describes plants of the bog.