Fort McCoy hosts 2026 Butterfly Field Day highlighting endangered species conservation

Fort McCoy welcomed members of the Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation (NRF) for its annual Butterfly Field Day on July 13, 2026, giving participants the opportunity to learn about the installation's nationally recognized prairie habitats and the rare butterfly species they support.

A total of 42 people attended this year's event, continuing a partnership between Fort McCoy and the NRF that has introduced visitors from across Wisconsin to the installation's conservation efforts for several years.

The field day was coordinated by Endangered Species Biologist Jessup Weichelt with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch and supported by Natural Resources Specialist Jessica Salesman.
Participants toured portions of Fort McCoy's South Post, where native prairies and oak barrens provide ideal habitat for many butterfly species. The annual event allows visitors to see firsthand how Fort McCoy balances military readiness with natural resource conservation.

Weichelt said the 2026 event was successful despite the summer heat.
"It went very well," Weichelt said. "Outside of the heat there was a good variety of butterflies. Many of the rare ones."

Among the highlights of the tour were sightings of several rare and endangered butterflies, including the regal fritillary, Karner blue, and Ottoe skipper, three of the signature butterfly species found on the installation.

The Butterfly Field Day supports the Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation's mission by helping educate the public about Wisconsin's unique natural resources. Participants register for the event through the foundation, with proceeds supporting natural resource conservation efforts throughout the state.

The event also helps increase awareness of Fort McCoy's environmental stewardship mission.

"A lot of people when they come here, they just think 'Fort McCoy military installation,' and they don't think they're allowed to come out here," Weichelt said in discussing previous field days. "They also don't know that the military does a lot of work for helping endangered species."

He also noted that many visitors are surprised to learn the public can access portions of Fort McCoy for recreation through the installation's iSportsman program and that Fort McCoy manages one of the highest concentrations of endangered species per acre of any land management organization in the United States.

The public butterfly field days at Fort McCoy began in 2019, when former Natural Resources Branch Chief and Endangered Species Biologist Tim Wilder organized the first tours. Approximately 60 people participated in two field days that inaugural year, learning about Fort McCoy's rare butterfly management through presentations and guided bus tours.

At the time, Wilder said the events provided an opportunity for people to better understand the installation's conservation work.

"The populations of many pollinators, including butterflies, are declining throughout their ranges," Wilder said. "Fort McCoy is home to one of the largest remaining populations of the federally endangered Karner blue butterfly."
Since then, the annual field day has continued to grow in popularity. Participation reached approximately 45 people in both 2024 and 2025, and 42 participants attended the 2026 event.

Fort McCoy's Environmental Division manages thousands of acres of prairie and oak barrens through prescribed fire, invasive species control, and habitat restoration practices that benefit rare plants, pollinators, and other wildlife while supporting the installation's military training mission.

The Wisconsin Natural Resources Foundation, established in 1986, partners with organizations across the state to support conservation, education, and stewardship projects. Its annual Butterfly Field Day at Fort McCoy continues to provide visitors with a firsthand look at one of Wisconsin's most important conservation success stories while showcasing how environmental stewardship and military readiness work together on one of the Army's premier training installations.