Raised in the Forest
A child of immigrants, I discovered the bush after my parents improbably bought 600 acres, mostly woods, in the Outaouais region of west Quebec. It became our family’s source of heat, from firewood, and sweetener, from a bounty of sugar maple trees. Later I studied and worked as a journalist as far west as California and as far south as Mexico City. But the forest stayed in me. My family now own a 34-acre farm, thick with trees, animals, birds and—in season—mosquitoes, near Madoc, Ont., about halfway between Toronto and Ottawa.
Forester. Teacher. Writer.
I love to talk about forests.
That makes teaching a great fit for me. I’ve taught students from pre-grade school to post-graduate at the University of Toronto. I write forest management plans and manage forests. I remain a journalist—these days most of my writing concerns forests. My most recent book, a tale of a forest product, is Maple Syrup: A Short History of Canada’s Sweetest Obsession, published by Doubleday Canada in 2025. I am editor of Our Forest, the magazine of Forests Canada. I find balance in these three vocations.
"Any tree you cut should make your forest happier."
Peter Kuitenbrouwer
My Skills
I am available to help you develop a managed forest plan, to teach forestry and writing, and to write, mainly about forest topics. Forests, the world’s great climate sinks, are a key solution to mitigate climate change; through my forest work I aim to improve the health of planet Earth.
Learn More About Peter Kuitenbrouwer
Forester
Peter Kuitenbrouwer grew up in the forest. Today, he creates forest management plans.
Teacher
Peter teaches students from grade school to post grad about forestry and conservation.
Writer
Peter worked as a journalist for several national news outlets and now authors books.