Representatives from Fort McCoy’s Directorate of Public Works (DPW) Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch provided updates on the installation's environmental stewardship programs during the June 8, 2026, meeting of the Monroe County Natural Resource and Extension Committee at the Monroe County Justice Center in Sparta, Wis.
Fort McCoy has regularly participated in the committee’s monthly meetings for years, providing county officials with updates on the installation's fisheries, forestry, wildlife, threatened and endangered species, and invasive species management programs. The partnership helps maintain coordination between Fort McCoy and Monroe County on conservation efforts that benefit both the installation and the surrounding region.
During the meeting, Fort McCoy personnel summarized accomplishments completed during May across multiple natural resource programs.
Fisheries
— Fisheries biologists continued extensive monitoring of Fort McCoy's lakes and streams by collecting water-quality samples from base flow, runoff, and Adaptive Management monitoring locations while measuring dissolved oxygen and temperature levels in 10 lakes. Officials reported water conditions remained optimal throughout May.
— Staff also completed 14 angler creel surveys during Wisconsin's general fishing opener, interviewing 273 anglers. According to fisheries staff, anglers expressed a high level of satisfaction with Fort McCoy's annual rainbow trout stocking program.
— Additional fisheries work included completing fyke-net surveys on the North Flowage and conducting boom-shocking surveys at Swamp Pond and Big Sandy Lake. Biologists reported largemouth bass at Big Sandy Lake appear to be in improved condition compared with surveys completed in 2024.
— Personnel also inspected 38 stream temperature monitoring stations, replaced equipment damaged during April flooding, monitored water levels at three Sandy lakes, and participated in Sparta Middle School's STEM Field Day, teaching students about fisheries management and aquatic invertebrates.
Forestry
— Forestry personnel reported collecting more than $65,000 in timber sale revenue during May while continuing oversight of active timber sales on the installation.
— Additional accomplishments included assessing proposed drainage basin projects for timber removal, preparing for a hunter safety education course, presenting a tree identification class during Sparta Middle School’s STEM program, and drafting Fort McCoy's Fiscal Year 2027 timber report of availability.
Threatened and Endangered Species
— Biologists continued monitoring several protected species throughout the installation.
— Survey work included turtle and bullsnake monitoring, while telemetry tracking continued for Blanding's turtles, wood turtles, and bullsnakes. GPS transmitters were installed on selected turtles to collect movement data through mid-July.
— Personnel also monitored bald eagle and osprey nests, completed 51 frosted elfin butterfly surveys documenting 146 butterflies across 24 survey sites, and conducted surveys for phlox moths, dusted skippers, and cobweb skippers.
— Additional work included maintaining stationary acoustic bat detectors, preparing mobile bat surveys, beginning Karner blue butterfly monitoring, and completing the first round of annual bird point-count surveys.
Invasive Species Management
— Fort McCoy's invasive species program expanded during May as seasonal employees joined the program.
— Crews treated more than 207 acres of invasive vegetation, primarily garlic mustard, through herbicide applications and hand removal while surveying nearly 69 additional acres for treatment needs.
— Staff also coordinated upcoming unmanned aircraft system mapping projects, prepared for targeted goat grazing operations, developed invasive species treatment maps for cantonment areas, coordinated roadside treatment plans, and supported Sparta Middle School STEM activities.
— Partnership activities included organizing the June Monroe County Invasive Species Working Group field day at Fort McCoy and coordinating with organizers of the Upper Midwest Invasive Species Conference for a planned October field visit to the installation.
Wildlife
— Wildlife personnel continued revising Fort McCoy’s Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping Rules and Regulations while preparing for fall hunting permit applications through the installation’s iSportsman system.
— The 2026 spring turkey season concluded May 22 with 97 turkeys harvested during six hunting periods.
— Staff also prepared for annual summer truck surveys that monitor deer, game birds, predators, and other wildlife populations, supported wildlife education activities during Sparta Middle School’s STEM program, and continued monitoring approximately 400 bluebird nesting boxes. Officials reported approximately 40 nesting boxes required repair or replacement because of bear damage.
— Natural resources personnel also supported Fort McCoy’s Armed Forces Day Open House by providing educational displays featuring reptiles, wildlife skull identification, outdoor recreation information, and iSportsman resources. In addition, staff welcomed seasonal employees during an annual safety orientation covering environmental protection, invasive species awareness, cultural resource protection, hazardous plant identification, unexploded ordnance safety, and spill response procedures.
Fort McCoy manages nearly 60,000 acres of forests, prairies, wetlands, streams, lakes, and wildlife habitat while supporting year-round military training. The installation's Natural Resources Branch works to balance military readiness with environmental stewardship, ensuring training lands remain sustainable while conserving natural resources that benefit both the installation and surrounding communities.
The Monroe County Natural Resource and Extension Committee meets on the second Monday of each month, and Fort McCoy routinely provides updates as part of its ongoing partnership with Monroe County and other local, state, and federal natural resource agencies.
Fort McCoy’s motto beginning in 2026 is “Training the Total Force and Shaping the Future since 1909.” The installation’s mission: “Fort McCoy strengthens Total Force Readiness by serving as a training center, Mobilization Force Generation Installation, and Strategic Support Area enabling warfighter lethality to deploy, fight, and win our nation’s wars.”
And Fort McCoy’s vision is, “To be the premier training center supporting the most capable, combat-ready, and lethal armed forces.”
Located in the heart of the upper Midwest, Fort McCoy is the only U.S. Army installation in Wisconsin. The installation has provided support and facilities for the field and classroom training of more than 100,000 military personnel from all services nearly every year since 1984.
Learn more about Fort McCoy online athttps://home.army.mil/mccoy, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/fortmccoywi, and on X (formerly Twitter) by searching “usagmccoy.” Also try downloading the My Army Post app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.
Fort McCoy is also part of Army’s Installation Management Command where “We Are The Army’s Home.”