Photo By Scott Sturkol | Biologist Steve Rood, then with the Colorado State University Center for the...... read more read more
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At the end of June 2023, after more than three decades, Fort McCoy’s lead Fisheries Biologist John Noble retired. Just weeks later, Fisheries Biologist Steve Rood began working in the same role and program as Noble, but it’s a program Rood knows well because he’s supported it since 2005.
Rood, who now works with the Fort McCoy Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch, said he began working at Fort McCoy in 2005 as a seasonal employee for the Fort McCoy fisheries program with Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education.
“After I graduated college in 2006, I was hired on full time,” Rood said. “After three years, that position transitioned to an agreement with Colorado State University (CSU).”
Rood graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point with a degree in biology that has an emphasis in fisheries management, he said. He said his education and experience of working in the program will help him in going forward in the position he now serves.
“I am very excited at the opportunity to be a part of the Fort McCoy Natural Resource Branch, and to be able to build upon the ideas and management objectives that I have been a part of over the last 15-plus years,” Rood said. “I have spent a lot of time working on and developing an understanding of the different watersheds and landscapes on Fort McCoy, and I am eager to put that knowledge to use in order to maintain a high-quality fishery and military training.”
Rood has been a regular part of many different fisheries activities on post, including surveys and invasive plant removal from lakes. Rood described some of his favorite activities.
“Aside from getting outside and conducting surveys, I really enjoy working with the other natural resource program managers to understand what their priority projects are and how we can all work together to accomplish those goals,” he said.
Fort McCoy is also a unique place for fisheries management. Fort McCoy has 10 installation lakes and impoundments and approximately 71.2 miles of coldwater streams and tributaries. Most of the streams are class I trout waters maintaining naturally reproducing brook and brown trout. The impoundments on Fort McCoy cold-water streams provide a variety of uses for recreation, military training, and habitat for fish and wildlife.
Rood said he knows he has a challenge ahead to continue to maintain everything that is on the installation for fisheries and natural resources management.
“There is definitely a balance that has to be struck between natural resource management, military training, anglers and many other stakeholders,” Rood said. “However, that balance is what we are all here trying to achieve — a high-quality military training landscape along with outstanding ecosystem that can support a wide array of recreational activities.
“Over the years I have conducted a lot of creel surveys, where I go out and talk to anglers about what they are catching and where they are from,” Rood said. “I would always end the survey by asking if they had any questions for me. Probably the number one answer over all the years that I received from anglers, was them thanking me for the work that we do and for the ability to fish on Fort McCoy. That response shows how many of our anglers feel about the quality of fishing and habitat on Fort McCoy, and I will strive to keep it that way.”
NRB Chief Tim Wilder said he’s glad to have Rood as part of the team.
“The Natural Resources Branch is very fortunate to have had a candidate like Mr. Rood apply for this position,” Wilder said. “Not only does he have a solid background in water quality and fisheries management, his years working on Fort McCoy for Colorado State University has given him direct knowledge on these subject matters as they relate to Fort McCoy. He understands that our main priority is to support the Soldier and their ability to train effectively while on Fort McCoy. From his time working for our partners at CSU, Mr. Rood has developed working relationships with Natural Resource Branch program managers and individuals from the Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security that will allow him to transition into his new role as fisheries biologist.”
Additional information about the Fort McCoy fisheries program can also be found at the Fort McCoy iSportsman page at https://ftmccoy.isportsman.net.
Fort McCoy’s motto is to be the “Total Force Training Center.” 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 at https://home.army.mil/mccoy, on the Defense Visual Information Distribution System at https://www.dvidshub.net/fmpao, on Facebook by searching “ftmccoy,” and on Twitter by searching “usagmccoy.”
Also try downloading the Digital Garrison app to your smartphone and set “Fort McCoy” or another installation as your preferred base.
(The Directorate of Public Works Environmental Division Natural Resources Branch contributed to this article.)
| Date Taken: | 08.31.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 08.31.2023 17:31 |
| Story ID: | 452612 |
| Location: | FORT MCCOY, WISCONSIN, US |
| Web Views: | 862 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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