Peat Inventory of Minnesota

In the early years, during which time these maps and reports were produced, the DNR used a reconnaissance-level peatland survey. The surveys were intended to be broad in scope and designed to collect information for general land-use planning and to locate areas with potential for development. Data were collected at random locations and sometimes along traverses in the often remote and almost inaccessible northern peatlands. At observation sites, crews collected notes on the peatland vegetation, determined the peat type throughout the profile, measured the peat depth, and collected samples for analysis. In later years, the DNR used a detailed-level peatland survey. Detailed surveys, by definition, are more focused, site-specific investigations, designed to specify development potential. The detailed surveys were undertaken following the ranking of survey areas according to their potential. Staff investigated the exact quality and quantity of the peat, as well as site characteristics that affect the cost of development. The survey results included written reports (not available as digital files) that have isopact maps of the deposits, descriptions of the peat material, cross sections that illustrate the botanical components and humidification of the deposits, volume and tonnage estimates, and surface elevation maps. The detailed surveys were conducted using grid survey techniques, in which resource data are collected systematically at points on a grid. If any of the detailed peatland surveys were done in areas where the maps were published, the maps were not updated to reflect these surveys. The database contains the findings of the Peat Inventory Project, stored in nine data tables that are described more fully in the Entity-Attribute Overview section below.