Lotus Pinnatus Park

Lotus Pinnatus Park encompasses over 15 hectares across four parcels of land located along the southern border of Nanaimo. The park is intersected by the Nanaimo Parkway, with the parcels south of the Parkway forming part of the expansive Harewood Plains. These lands were acquired through development to preserve these sensitive ecosystems and contribute to the area's ecological and recreational value.

The park is named after Nanaimo's floral emblem, the rare Lotus pinnatus (now known as Hosackia pinnata), also called Bog Bird’s Foot Trefoil. This flower is extremely rare, found in only five known sites in Canada. Three of these sites are in the Harewood Plains, one is on Gabriola Island, and another is on Woodley Range near Ladysmith, BC (B.C. Conservation Data Centre - Province of British Columbia).

The area is environmentally sensitive, featuring a mosaic of Garry oak associated ecosystems such as woodlands, wildflower meadows, vernal seeps and vernal pools. Both vernal seeps and vernal pools are conservation priorities due to their critical importance as habitats for many species. These ephemeral wetland ecosystems support a unique set of organisms. Therefore, it is important to avoid disturbing them by not walking in them or altering the inflow or outflow of water while exploring the park. Even disturbances can disrupt these fragile ecosystems enough to alter the growing conditions of the specialized plants that depend on them for survival.

Harewood Plains and Lotus Pinnatus Park are located in the Government of Canada designated Southwest BC Priority Place because of the significant biodiversity and high concentrations of species at risk. Many of the species contained in the Garry oak ecosystems of Harewood plains are among the most endangered in Canada, with less than 5% of the original habitat left. As a priority area for stewardship and conservation, activities are being undertaken to help recover the ecosystems and species that live in Harewood Plains.