Monroe County Land Conservation

08/26/2026

The Climate Change Task Force is meeting Wed, September 2 from 9am-11am at the Board Assembly Room.

08/25/2026

Friends of the Little La Crosse Watershed (FOLLW) is coming up this week!

When: Thursday, August 27 at 6pm
Where: Bruce Peterson's Farm, 4808 Highway J, Rockland, WI
Optional: Bring a potluck dish to share!

NEW webpage has been set up on River to Ridge Disaster Resilience's website: https://www.r2rdr.org/projects-6-1

08/19/2026

Join us at the PFAS Forum on Thursday, Sept 10 at the Sparta American Legion at 5:30pm.

Representatives from Monroe County Land Conservation and Health Departments along with WI Dept. of Natural Resources and Fort McCoy will be there to provide updates and answer questions.

No need to register or RSVP!
Please share with your friends, families, and neighbors!

08/06/2026

Make your voice heard!

The Monroe County Health Department is teaming up with Great Rivers United Way, local health departments, area healthcare systems, schools, and other community organizations for Compass Now 2027.

The Compass Now survey is completed every 3 years to gain feedback from the community on the health needs and priorities for our residents.

You can scan the QR code on the flyer attached or complete survey here: https://levans.questionpro.com/a/TakeSurvey?tt=iFT9gLTFj4EECHrPeIW9eQ%3D%3D

Residents of Monroe, La Crosse, Vernon, Trempealeau, Jackson, and Buffalo Counties in Wisconsin, and Houston County in Minnesota are invited to take the survey. Please share with your family, friends, and neighbors also!

The survey is anonymous and takes roughly 15 minutes to complete. After you complete the survey, you will have the option to enter your contact information on a separate form for a chance to win a $50 gift card.

08/05/2026

Join the Wisconsin Farmland Protection Partnership at the Michelson Farm in West Salem next Wednesday, August 12.

The Michelson family is graciously hosting to share the history and future of their family farm, how they are stewarding the land, and why they chose an agricultural conservation easement to protect their family's land and legacy.
https://farmlandinfo.org/protect-your-land/

Gather for an informative, fun field day with a free, local lunch from Big Boar BBQ. Here are the event and registration details:

Date: Wednesday, August 12
Time: 9am-12pm
Location: N5356 County Road M West Salem, WI 54669
Register: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=9DZ9usq8W0ODzin3qwZEyD8qyJFrHTdNhenXkdhnKA5URjBMOTJBWTgzMkIzTjVNUExFVUZNVVpXUy4u&route=shorturl

If you plan on attending, please register by 4pm Friday, August 7 to reserve your meal.

Learn about agricultural conservation easements and opportunities to partner with federal, state and local entities to avert development and ensure your land is available for the next generation of farmers and ranchers.

08/05/2026

We want your input!

Come and visit us at the Farmland Preservation Plan Update Open House on Tuesday, August 18th from 6 - 8pm at St. Mary's Distillery.

Join us to find out more about the Farmland Preservation Program and how Farmland Preservation Planning can protect valuable farmland from development!

Find out more here: https://www.co.monroe.wi.us/departments/land-conservation/farmland-preservation

07/24/2026

Monroe County Invasive Species Working Group is meeting Thursday, July 30.

11am - 12pm: Meeting
12pm - 1pm: Potluck Lunch bring a dish to pass
1pm - 3pm: Field Trip

Agenda and map are attached below.

Reminder that the Upper Midwest Invasives Species Conference is in La Crosse, October 6-8.
Register here: https://www.umisc.net/

07/09/2026

Invasive Species Alert:

Helleborine Orchid (Epipactis helleborine) has been found in Fort McCoy.

The flowering head is bent over and almost appears droopy until the flowers develop. Please submit any sitings you have to EDDMaps https://www.eddmaps.org/

For links to images, check out:
https://doorinvasives.org/terrestrial-invasives

An interesting read about this plant: https://www.indefenseofplants.com/blog/tag/broad-leaved+helleborine+orchid

Drunken Pollinators & Chemical Trickery: Musings on the Complex Floral Chemistry of a Generalist Orchid July 14, 2020 There was a time when I thought that all orchids were finicky botanical jewels, destined to perish at the slightest disturbance. Certainly many species fit this description to some d...

07/07/2026

Get grounded in soil health, conservation, and farmland protection at the 2026 Dig into Soil Health Field Day series, hosted by the Wisconsin Farmland Protection Partnership.

Join the Partnership and Mississippi Valley Conservancy in West Salem on Wednesday, August 12 for a hands-on farm tour of waterway restoration techniques, pollinator habitat management, and soil health evaluations.

Date: Wednesday, August 12
Time: 9am-12pm
Location: N5356 County Road M West Salem, WI 54669
Register: https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=9DZ9usq8W0ODzin3qwZEyD8qyJFrHTdNhenXkdhnKA5URjBMOTJBWTgzMkIzTjVNUExFVUZNVVpXUy4u&route=shorturl

06/22/2026

We will have another private well sampling opportunity in JULY!

Only $20 for anyone that hasn't had their well tested in past 4 years and is in Monroe County.

Pickup up: Friday, July 24th (8am - 4:30pm)
Drop off: Monday, July 27 (8am - 4:30pm)

For more info contact Tracy at [email protected] or 608-269-8973