FORT DRUM, N.Y. (Aug. 18, 2024) — A crowd erupted in cheers and applause after Mike Stiefel, Fort Drum forester, chopped and sawed a tree that landed on top of a watermelon, spraying the ground with fruity pulp.

The friendly competition between Steifel and fellow forester Travis Ganter emerged during the 9th annual Outdoor Adventure Day on Aug. 17, outside the Natural Resources Outreach Facility. The previous four failed attempts to crush the fruit drew sympathetic “awws” from the audience, who walked away entertained but also educated on wood-cutting safety.

“Safety is the biggest thing in everything we do,” Stiefel said. “That’s why we show them that the chaps we wear protects us from getting injured, and the same with the helmet.”

The foresters also provided a sawmill demonstration, from which attendees could take home free blocks of wood.

On the other side of the field, Jason Murray, a wetlands biologist with the Fort Drum Natural Resources Branch, provided a beaver skinning demonstration. He said some children are fascinated by it, and they want to touch the pelt and ask questions while he worked. Others are less enthralled, so he pivoted to more comfortable subjects, like talking about where beavers live and what they eat.

Ray Rainbolt, event organizer, said Outdoor Adventure Day was designed for attendees to explore the great outdoors and try new things. Participants could mine for diamonds, decorate a walking stick, crawl inside a bear trap and watch a sheep-herding demonstration, just to name a few of the attractions.

“This has always been a family-friendly event where everyone can simply unplug for a while and enjoy the outdoors,” he said. “They might learn something new that is science-related, recreation-related, or environmental-related, but it’s really a chance to see and do things, rather than just reading about it.”

With more than 40 different stations to visit, Rainbolt said this was a good representation of the activities available on post and in the North Country for Fort Drum community members.

“Every year, we try to make this bigger and better than before,” Rainbolt said. “And part of that is because there are new organizations that have never been able to participate in Outdoor Adventure Day, and there’s always new things going on that people want to know about. So, it’s really an opportunity for people to tailor this to what their interests are and what grabs their attention.”

Attendees also visited the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Museum, where children scoured the exhibits looking for items on a scavenger hunt.

“We have offered the scavenger hunt for kids since we opened up here in 2022,” said Doug Schmidt, museum curator. “It’s a fun way for them to learn some of our history and it also keeps them active and engaged while their parents tour the museum.”

For more information about the 10th Mountain Division and Fort Drum Museum, call (315) 774-0391 or visit www.facebook.com/FortDrumMuseum.

Community members can learn about all the outdoor recreation opportunities at Fort Drum by visiting www.FortDrum.iSportsman.net.