Heber Down Mini-Forest
A powerful new green space is coming to Heber Down Conservation Area in Whitby. Little Forests Durham, in partnership with Trees for Life, the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) and the Town of Whitby, is proud to announce the planting of a new Mini Forest - a dense, fast-growing native forest designed to restore biodiversity, improve climate resilience, and connect communities with nature.
According to CLOCA, the Heber Down Conservation Area (284 hectares) offers a variety of activities for the recreation-minded. Fishing, nature walks, pond exploration on floating docks and picnicking are all popular activities with visitors. More importantly, Heber Down Conservation Area preserves a portion of the significant Iroquois Beach physiographic unit and is home to a variety of wildlife and plants not common in Durham Region. The new mini-forest will be located near the parking lot at the Main Entrance at 5000 Cochrane St.
"The Town of Whitby is very excited for Whitby's first official ‘Little Forest’. The creation of the Little Forest at the Heber Down Conservation Area is one of many actions the Town is taking this year towards the following action in our Climate Emergency Response Plan 3.1 - Conserve, expand, and protect natural spaces and urban forest for flood risk reduction, cooling and improved human well-being." – Sarah Shields, Project Manager - Sustainability & Climate Change & Strategic Initiatives at the Town of Whitby.
Mini Forests (also known as Little Forests), based on the Miyawaki Method, are tiny, fast-growing ecosystems, small enough to be planted almost anywhere land is available - parks, schools, community spaces and neighbourhoods. Mini forests emphasize the use of dense plantings, diverse locally native plant species, soil restoration and preparation, and a multilayered design to mimic the features of a native forest which over time, will create a wildlife-rich woodland.
Project Highlights:
- Location: Heber Down Conservation Area, 5000 Cochrane St, Whitby, ON
- Site Prep Date: August 9, 2025
- Number of species: Over 600 native tree and shrub species in 200 square metres
- Planting date: October 18, 2025
SITE PREPARATION
On a hot August morning, volunteers and community partners came together at Heber Down Conservation Area to prepare the site of the future Little Forest! Layers of wetted cardboard, compost and mulch were laid down across the 200 square metre site. These layers were left to decompose over the next few months, creating a rich, nutrient dense soil, perfect for planting native trees and shrubs.
PLANTING DAY
October 18, 2025 was a perfect day for planting a mini-forest! Volunteers and community partners planted 600 trees and shrubs in just one hour on a warm and sunny morning. Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy and Regional Councilor Maleeha Shahid, joined over 60 enthusiastic volunteers to bring the Heber Down Mini-Forest to life.
After being planted, the 600 trees and shrubs were watered, tree guards were wrapped around tall trees to protect from herbivory, and the entire site is surrounded with a 4-foot snow fence. With care over the next few years, this mini-forest will soon thrive on its own.
Little Forests Durham is extremely proud to be apart of this community greening project - increasing biodiversity and habitat for wildlife at Heber Down Conservation Area.
Community partners: This mini forest project is a collaboration between Little Forests Durham, The Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA), and Trees for Life. We are grateful for the generous in-kind donation of compost from The Region of Durham, and mulch from The Town of Whitby. We are also thankful for assistance from The Rotary Club of Whitby and Whitby-Sunrise. This project was made possible by the financial support of The Town of Whitby and Trees for Life.