'Restoring Roots' a community ceremony of remembrance & renewal

Buffalo Maritime Center & partners to plant first ‘Tree of Peace’ on Sept. 21, kicking off Erie Canal bicentennial voyage programming.

Buffalo Maritime Center Press Release & Graphic

The Buffalo Maritime Center (BMC), 7th Gen Cultural Resources, M&T Bank, and the Erie County Parks Department invite the public to “Restoring Roots,” an evening of renewal, connection and community from 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 21, at Seneca Bluffs Park, 1670 Seneca St., Buffalo. 

Together, partners and community members will plant an Eastern White Pine, the “Great Tree of Peace,” honoring its cultural significance to the Haudenosaunee and its role in restoring the local ecosystem. The event kicks off the 33-day, 28-port bicentennial voyage of the Erie Canal boat Seneca Chief, commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal.

The construction of the Erie Canal accelerated Haudenosaunee land loss, leading to the eventual dispossession of the Buffalo Creek Reservation and the removal of the Seneca people from this region. Seneca Bluffs, once part of the Buffalo Creek Reservation, remains a place of deep historic significance. While the canal opened new opportunities for commerce and growth, it also brought lasting cultural and environmental disruption.

The “Restoring Roots” program acknowledges this complex history and offers a gesture of reconciliation. By replanting trees at Seneca Bluffs, we honor the land’s original stewards and take a step toward renewing the natural world that was profoundly altered during the canal era.

The gathering will feature traditional words of thanksgiving, featured speakers, Haudenosaunee dancers, and reflections on the relationship between land and water. As part of the ceremony, attendees are invited to take part in watering the very first tree to be planted on bicentennial voyage – adding their own gesture of care and connection as the tree begins its life along the Buffalo River.

“The Erie Canal transformed New York state, and our nation, but its progress also came with costs – displacing Indigenous communities and permanently reshaping the environment,” said Brian Trzeciak, executive director of the Buffalo Maritime Center. “This ceremony acknowledges history and commits us to sustaining both culture and environment for years ahead.”

The Eastern White Pine holds deep significance in Haudenosaunee culture as the “Tree of Peace,” symbolizing unity, strength and renewal.

"At its heart, this initiative is about community – planting the Eastern White Pine reminds us of our shared responsibility to one another and to the land,” said Melissa Parker Leonard of 7th Gen Cultural Resources. “It is a living reminder that shared stewardship of the earth is part of caring for each other and for future generations."

“Today’s gathering underscores the connections between our communities, the challenges and divisions that we have overcome as people, and the deep, enduring connection we all have with the environment,” said Commissioner of Parks, Recreation and Forestry Troy P. Schinzel. “The Eastern White Pine we are planting today, a ‘Tree of Peace,’ reinforces those connections and emphasizes our unity in preserving our history and heritage.”

At each port stop of the bicentennial voyage, an Eastern White Pine will be planted in remembrance and solidarity. Along the way, communities will also contribute water from their section of the Erie Canal to a ceremonial barrel aboard the Erie Canal boat Seneca Chief. At the voyage’s conclusion in New York City, that water will be used to nourish the final tree, uniting waterways and people across the state.

“This meaningful act invites communities to reflect on our connection to the land, its history, and to one another,” said Shaun Wilson, workout specialist II at M&T Bank and president of M&T’s Native American employee group. “Planting the ‘Tree of Peace’ is a powerful gesture that honors Indigenous traditions and recognizes the past, while also nurturing healing and renewal. We are restoring our own roots and the roots of the communities who have lived here and stewarded this land for centuries.”

The ceremonial tree plantings at each port are part of the bicentennial voyage visitor experience, made possible through the generous support of M&T Bank, the title program partner for the statewide journey. Thanks to M&T’s commitment, this historic commemoration will engage communities across New York state, offering education, reflection and connection to thousands of New Yorkers. 

For more details on the 2025 bicentennial voyage – including a printable map, full itinerary, port information, and a downloadable guidebook – visit www.BuffaloMaritimeCenter.org/Bicentennial-Voyage/.