Red Lake Peatland

Red Lake Peatland is the largest, most diversely patterned peatland the lower United States. It features one of the largest and best developed water tracks, where a large amount of ground water moves through a large expanse of grasses and sedges. Red Lake Peatland, often referred to as the "Big Bog," stretches 50 miles in length. 

Red Lake Peatland occurs in the southern part of the range of the forested raised bog type in North America where glacial erosion and deposition created favorable conditions for peat accumulation in the Glacial Lake Agassiz plain.  Red Lake Peatland is the highest rated of the patterned peatlands in Minnesota because of its peatland features (fen and bog landforms, peatland types, plants, viability, and scientific research value) and it is larger than all the other patterned peatlands in the state combined.

Globally, Red Lake Peatland is extremely valuable for the study of peatland ecological and developmental processes due to it being relatively undisturbed and yet accessible for study.  It provides a unique climatic setting for the comparative study of peatland processes in different environmental settings with its complex groundwater systems and relatively low precipitation. 

The core area of Red Lake Peatland is permanently protected as a state Scientific and Natural Area covering over 82,000 acres and is also recognized as a national Natural Area Landmark.  An additional ~9,000 acres are protected by the adjacent Big Bog State Recreation Area which features the world’s longest interpretive boardwalk (over one mile long with numerous educational stations).  Red Lake Peatland is encompassed in the Big Bog Important Bird Area and is proposed to be part of the state’s Heart-of-the-Bog Birding Trail.  Many of the native plants found in Red Lake Peatland, including yellow-eyed grass, bog rush, and sundews, are listed as Minnesota special concern species. 

Additional Information:

Big Bog Important Bird Area (IBA) bird list http://ebird.org/ebird/GuideMe?step=saveChoices&getLocations=ibas&continue=Continue&reportType=location&ibas=US-MN_2911

Glaser, Paul H. 1987. The Ecology of Patterned Boreal Peatlands of Northern Minnesota: A Community Profile. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Biological Report 85(7.14). http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA322504

Minnesota Audubon. Minnesota Important Bird Areas http://mn.audubon.org/conservation/minnesota-important-bird-areas

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Red Lake Peatland SNA http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/detail.html?id=sna02009

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. 1984. Recommendations for the Protection of Ecologically Significant Peatlands in Minnesota.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Minnesota Scientific and Natural Areas Patterned Peatlands http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/snas/peatlands.html

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website. Big Bog State Recreation Area http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/big_bog/index.html

National Parks Service. Natural National Landmarks: Upper Red Lake Peatland https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nnlandmarks/site.htm?Site=UPRE-MN

Wright, H.E., Jr, Barbara A. Coffin, and Norman E. Aaseng, editors. 1992. The Patterned Peatlands of Minnesota. University of Minnesota Press.