Wild Rice Access Improvement Project Completed

By: Craig Taylor

Construction of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe (LLBO) Wild Rice Access Improvement Project was completed in February and March 2023.  The project was recommended and developed in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MN DNR) and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe as part of the Ottertail Powerline Hunting and Gathering Agreement 2020-2025.  

The project was funded by the Ottertail Powerline Mitigation Fund and was implemented in cooperation with both the LLBO and the MN DNR.  The LLBO Wild Rice Access Improvement Project is located at two different sites on the Chippewa National Forest's Deer River Ranger District.  The Pine Grove Boardwalk is located on the Bowstring River near Inger, Minnesota and the Chub Lake Boardwalk is located on Minnesota DNR lands in the Mud Goose Lake WMA.  Both projects involved placing floating boardwalks across sensitive wetlands to provide safe access to important wild ricing areas. Located on user developed trails through riparian and canoe access paths, the boardwalks will mitigate impacts to sensitive wetlands from foot and ATV traffic.

 Minnesota Boardwalks out of Glencoe, Minnesota constructed the boardwalks.  The Pine Grove Boardwalk was completed on February 14, 2023 and the Chub Lake Boardwalk was completed on March 8, 2023.