Skip to main content

Wild rice (manoomin)

A close-up of a wild rice plant
Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy

Wild rice (manoomin)

Michigan’s wild rice (species Zizania palustris and Zizania aquatica), is a grain-producing, aquatic grass native to the Great Lakes region and portions of Canada. It's found in shallow, quiet waters of marshes, inland lakes and slowly moving streams and grows 6 - 10 feet tall. 

Wild rice provides important habitat for wildlife, supports water quality, and sustains traditional food systems for Anishinaabe communities, the Indigenous peoples of the Great Lakes region, who know the plant as manoomin or mnomin.

Once plentiful throughout Michigan, wild rice is under threat from climate change, habitat loss, uninformed harvesting practices, degraded water quality and other factors. 

How we're protecting Michigan's native grain

We are proud to strengthen Tribal-State partnerships and ensure Manoomin continues to thrive—as both a cultural resource and a vital part of Michigan’s ecosystems.

  • A group of about 50 people standing outside in front of a long wooden canoe

    Michigan Wild Rice Initiative

    A collaboration of the State of Michigan and the twelve federally recognized tribes within Michigan, the initiative brings specialists and managers together to share information, coordinate approaches, and elevate awareness about wild rice conservation and restoration.

  • Two Manoomin Stewardship Plan workshop participants having a conversation.

    Outreach and awareness

    Throughout the year, we highlight wild rice in various workshops, webinars, and social media posts to drive awareness and action on wild rice stewardship.

    Our staff participates in educational workshops and camps to increase their knowledge on this important grain.

  • A man standing on the shore of a wetland with a canoe full of wild rice seeds

    Wild Rice Stewardship Guide

    Finalized in 2025, We All Live Together in a Good Way with Manoomin: Stewardship Guide tells the story of Manoomin through an Anishinaabe perspective.

    The guide also explores the socio-ecological context of Manoomin restoration and revitalization and offers a series of goals and objectives to support the work of the Michigan Wild Rice Initiative.

Did you know?

As of November 2023, manoomin (wild rice) was officially designated as the state of Michigan's native grain!

This was the first native grain designation in the United States.

Latest news about wild rice (manoomin)

Manoomin Stewardship Guide spreads awareness and acceptances of shared understanding of wild rice in Michigan

November 24, 2025

EGLE takes part in wild rice camp

August 22, 2025
View all news related to wild rice

Bringing back 'the good berry' - past efforts to restore wild rice

Manoomin translates to “the good berry” in Ojibwe. It is a culturally significant plant to the Anishinaabek (Odawa, Ojibwe and Potawatomi) and is directly linked to their migration from the northeastern coast to the Great Lakes region several hundred years ago.

  • Manoomin Stewardship Plan workshop participants in canoes exploring a manoomin bed.

    Efforts in the western U.P.

    The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife Division has been partnering with the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community for nearly a decade on wild rice restoration efforts.

    Recent work includes a total of 10,278 pounds of wild rice seeded at 11 sites on public and tribal lands in Baraga and Houghton counties in 2023.

  • Husks of wild rice grains in the palm of a hand

    Efforts in the eastern U.P.

    The DNR also has been planting wild rice at other locations in the eastern Upper Peninsula.

    Since 2016, they've planted 200-1,060 pounds per year at the Dollarville flooding in Luce County and, since 2018, 50-430 pounds per year at the Black Creek Flooding in Mackinac County (except for 2021, when rice was unavailable).