Rooted in Community: The Forest Community Renewal Project Takes Form in Kapuskasing, Ontario
- matt7mckernan
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
Updated: Jul 22
Have you ever held a tiny spruce cone and imagined the forests it could become? That powerful
idea inspired the very first Forest Community Renewal Project in Kapuskasing, a town rooted
deeply in forestry.
On June 28th, 2025, something special happened. Over 10,000 native spruce trees were
planted in Kapuskasing by our teams. But this initiative was more than just a tree planting
project. It was a gathering of hearts and hands, a ceremony of intention. The trees we planted
are a symbol of growth, renewal, and gratitude.
At Riverside Park, community members came together to plant not only trees, but meaning:
White Spruce – Honouring the land: strong and enduring.
Cedar - Gifted to the Moose Cree First Nation and Indigenous Friendship Center: a symbol of shared respect.
White Pine - Dedicated to the town and its local businesses: the hardworking backbone of
Kapuskasing.
Birch - Celebrating families, elders, and the next generation.
Tamarack - For the industries and leaders shaping tomorrow.
Every tree stands for something bigger; a thank you, a memory, a hope.
At the root of this project is the Sensenbrenner family whose legacy in Kapuskasing runs deep. For over a century, the Sensenbrenner family has helped shape the town of Kapuskasing. In the 1920s F.J. Sensenbrenner, led the development of the Spruce Falls pulp mill and helped establish key community landmarks, including the Sensenbrenner Hospital, which continues today as a regional hub for healthcare.
The family’s legacy lives on not just in brick and mortar, but in service and stewardship. Joe and Mary Ellyn Sensenbrenner are continuing the family tradition by contributing to the healthy regeneration of Kapuskasing's forests. They reached out to our proud partner, the Arbor Day Foundation, who then connected with us to put the project in motion. Thanks to that collaboration and shared vision, this project became a reality. Honoring their family legacy and the region’s deep forestry heritage.
The Forest Community Renewal Project is a seed we hope to grow. We see this initiative
growing into a festival that unites and excites forest communities and promotes pride in the
abundance of jobs, opportunities, and security that the forest sector brings. This initiative
celebrates the forest, the community, and a prosperous future for generations to come.
Kapuskasing was the perfect place to start. Here, forestry isn’t just an industry, it’s a way of life
passed down through generations. The event honored that heritage, while planting seeds for a
more connected, proud, and sustainable future.
This initiative was made possible through our partnership with Arbor Day Foundation and with
the support of the Town of Kapuskasing, GreenFirst Forest Products, Kap Paper Inc., First
Nation Timber, Kap Office Pro, Northern Signs, The Welcome Center, the local Royal Canadian
Legion, and Chilly Moose. We are grateful to everyone who helped make this event a success,
whose care, energy, and commitment to the community made it all come together.
