Mini Forest at Diane Hamre Recreation Complex - Clarington
Little Forests Durham is creating a mini forest at the Diane Hamre Recreation Centre in partnership with The Municipality of Clarington, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority and the Clarington Climate Action Collective.
This community-led project will help make Clarington greener, healthier, and more climate resilient by increasing tree cover, supporting local biodiversity, and creating natural spaces for future generations.
Site preparation took place on Saturday July 11, 2026. Wetted cardboard, compost, and mulch were laid down by volunteers to prepare the site for the planting of 600 native trees and shrubs.
These materials were left to settle over the next few months for the grass and weeds to die back and to allow the cardboard, compost, and mulch to decompose, creating a nutrient-rich site for the tree planting event in the fall.
Tree planting is taking place on Saturday October 31, 2026 at 8:30am.
What will we be doing: We'll be planting about 600 native trees and shrubs in the 200 metre squared prepared site. Planting is the final step to establish a Miyawaki-style mini-forest on this site. With care and weeding over the next two to three years, this new mini-forest will thrive.
This mini forest project is a collaboration between Little Forests Durham, The Municipality of Clarington, Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority and the Clarington Climate Action Collective. We are grateful for the generous in-kind donation of cardboard, compost, and mulch. This project was made possible by the financial support of The Municipality of Clarington.