The City of Nanaimo is reminding residents that use of all-terrain vehicles or any motorized vehicles are not permitted on any parkland after ATVs damaged Lotus Pinnatus Park.
According to a city press release, multiple ATVs caused damage to the park the afternoon of April 1 and the city stated that use of these vehicles can be particularly damaging in sensitive ecosystems.
Lotus Pinnatus Park is named after Nanaimo's floral emblem, the lotus pinnatus, and encompasses more than 15 hectares across four parcels of land along Nanaimo’s southern city limit border. The park is bisected by the Nanaimo Parkway, with the parcels south of the Parkway forming part of the Harewood Plains. These lands were acquired to preserve their sensitive ecosystems and contribute to the area's ecological and recreational value. The lotus pinnatus flower is extremely rare and found in only five known sites in Canada.
The area is environmentally sensitive and features a mosaic of Garry oak-associated ecosystems that include woodlands, wildflower meadows, vernal seeps and vernal pools, which are conservation priorities because of their critical importance as habitats for many species, the city noted.
"These ephemeral wetland ecosystems support a unique set of organisms. Therefore, it is important to avoid disturbing them by not trampling them or altering the inflow or outflow of water while exploring the park," the release noted.
The city added that disturbances can alter the growing conditions of the plants in the area.
"Respecting their space is critical to their survival,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog in the press release. “We need to enjoy these flowers from a safe distance and without disturbing them. If we do, they’ll be around for our future generations to enjoy."
To learn more about Lotus Pinnatus Park, click here.
