Peatland Watershed Protection Areas (WPAs)

WPAs serve as protective buffers around peatland core areas to minimize hydrologic and ecological impacts from adjacent land uses. This layer supports planning, permitting, ecological assessment, and peatland protection work across the Department of Natural Resources. It should not be used for regulatory purposes. Statutory Context • The Minnesota Peatland Protection Act (Minn. Stat. 84.035-84.036) lists Peatland SNAs by county but does not include legal descriptions or reference WPAs. • WPAs are recognized in Minn. R. 6132.2000, Subp. 4(C), which restricts mining within WPAs and incorporates the 1984 peatland report by reference as the authoritative source for WPAs. This report also explicitly states that peat mining is prohibited within WPAs. • The Minnesota State Law Library holds a DNR volume titled "Legal description and maps of peatland protection management areas" (Dec. 3, 1984), which appears to contain the legal descriptions referenced (but not included) in the published 1984 report.