Boating restrictions needed to help wild rice recover, supporters say

There are several core symbols of Minnesota.

A short but not all-inclusive list would be walleyes, loons, and even giant beavers, named the state fossil last session. Wild rice is another core symbol, and it holds a special place in the lore of Minnesota’s indigenous peoples.

In the Ojibwe (Anishinaabe) language, the name for wild rice is manoomin, and manoomin is endowed with the spirits of living beings, said Leanna Goose, a member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe.

“They are struggling,” she said Thursday, noting that manoomin is a key indigenous food source facing significant threats from climate change, pollution, and invasive species.

Goose spoke in support of HF3896, which would protect the sensitive water habitat that uncultivated wild rice needs to thrive in the summer growing season and to re-seed for the next growing season.

Held over by the House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee, the bill, as amended, would put restrictions on boating near uncultivated wild rice beds.

Operating a watercraft in or through uncultivated wild rice beds would be prohibited unless it is being propelled by hand, such as a skiff or canoe. And a motorized boat within 150 feet of an uncultivated wild rice bed along a shoreline could not create a wake.

“This bill is not a call to end boating, but it is a call for responsible boating practices,” Goose said.

The bill asks state residents to respect wild rice as a treaty-protected food source that is currently endangered, said Goose, a facilitator with Rise & Repair Alliance, which works to advance indigenous rights and climate justice in Minnesota.

“I wouldn’t drive my car through a farmer’s corn field to get to a blueberry patch, because I respect that as a food source,” she said.

Gina Peltier underscored how important wild rice is to her culture, both in a spiritual way and as a key food source.

“For thousands of years, wild rice has thrived and has helped us thrive,” said Peltier, a Rise & Repair Alliance facilitator and a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

A peace officer or Department of Natural Resources conservation officer witnessing a person violating the boating restrictions in the bill would have to issue a written or verbal warning and hand out educational materials explaining the need to protect wild rice stands.

The bill would not impose penalties for breaking the rules, said Rep. Alex Falconer (DFL-Eden Prairie), the bill sponsor, adding that education should be the first step in trying to change behavior.

The DNR has several issues with the bill, including enforcement aspects that may be problematic for conservation officers patrolling lakes.

“It would potentially take conservation officers away from other really important natural resource work,” said Lt. Col. Robert Gorecki, assistant director of the DNR Enforcement Division. “Our resources are obviously limited.”

Additionally, he said, it would be difficult for both officers and boaters to detect uncultivated wild rice fields at the 150 feet no-wake distance.