The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point�s College of Natural Resources (CNR) has agreed to a $480,000 five-year U.S. Department of Defense cooperative agreement to help natural resources managers achieve optimal management of 59,000 acres of public lands at Fort McCoy near Sparta.

Jim Kerkman, forester at Fort McCoy and a 1982 CNR alumnus, and Victor Phillips, CNR dean, will serve as program coordinators to identify and staff specific projects on the base. CNR staff and students will collect and apply data necessary for the sound management of military lands. They will implement and further develop Fort McCoy�s Integrated Training Area Management (ITAM) program which trains resource managers in the latest technologies to address management issues.

CNR personnel will educate military personnel on the potential impacts of training exercises, suggesting ways to prevent or mitigate the impacts, and increasing awareness of the natural and cultural resources on the property and the need to protect them for future use. They also will identify potential pollutants of air, water and soil, and prevent their introduction into ecosystems or mitigate the damage if introduction has already occurred.

"This collaboration will facilitate partnership building and enrich learning experiences, professional development and potential job placement, while helping Fort McCoy accomplish its stewardship objectives "said Phillips.

According to Colonel Michael Staszak, Fort McCoy installation commander, "Our partnership with UWSP goes back 21 years and is truly a win-win situation for everyone. Students, the natural assets of the fort and U.S. taxpayers all win, as this is a cost-effective way to complete these types of projects. The college�s assistance is critical as otherwise these tasks would likely not be accomplished."

One of the first collaborative projects under the new agreement will begin in late May. The CNR will assist in conducting a forest inventory to prepare for an anticipated timber harvest on the property.

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tmiller/vc/fort mccoy