B.C.’s Burgess Shale one of the first internationally recognized geological heritage sites
Posted October 29, 2022 9:33 pm.
Last Updated October 29, 2022 9:36 pm.
Six Canadian locations are among the first to be internationally recognized geological heritage sites.
“This new international designation acknowledges iconic locations around the world, recognized for their relevance and impact in understanding the Earth and its history,” a release from the Government of Canada said.
The list was created by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), detailing the first 100 geological heritage sites.
In B.C., the Burgess Shale is included in the list for its contribution as a significant fossil site.
These aren’t just any rocks! The #BurgessShale in @YohoNP reveals the secrets of life before dinosaurs roamed these lands! The details preserved in these fossils are why @theIUGS named it one of their #First100Geosites.
Check it out https://t.co/Ld9Ah8DVKh pic.twitter.com/QQ7SxwnMA2
— Parks Canada (@ParksCanada) October 29, 2022
“Part of Yoho National Park, the Burgess Shale was originally inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1980. It became part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage site in 1984,” the release explained.
The B.C. location has, “one of the most significant fossil areas in the world featuring a diverse, abundant marine community dominated by soft-bodied organisms,” it said.
According to Parks Canada, “The Burgress Shale fossils are the oldest evidence of complex life on Earth. The amazingly detailed preservation shows us a complete marine ecosystem that existed long before the dinosaurs.”
It is here: #first100geosites. The science community has been working together this year to release a scientifically-grounded list of the top 100 Geohertiage sites in the world. Just revealed the first 100 which made the cut; https://t.co/GmToa0Wgdc.@geoparkea pic.twitter.com/nXCQY7vkeN
— IUGS (@theIUGS) October 24, 2022
On Friday, Minister of Parks Canada Steven Guilbeault offered his congratulations to the six sites.
“These incredible places are sources of ongoing scientific research and discovery, and also serve as important contributors to local economies as unique, unparalleled tourism destinations. Internationally, these places represent the geo-heritage of all humanity and the planet we call home,” Guilbeault said.
The other Canadian locations are Alberta’s Dinosaur Provincial Park, Quebec’s Eo-Archean Nuvvuagittuk Greenstone Belt, Newfoundland and Labrador’s Mistaken Point, and Gros Morne National Park, and Nova Scotia’s Joggins Fossil Cliffs.
“Canada is home to an incredible array of natural and cultural heritage sites that can’t be found anywhere else in the world, including some that detail the earliest days in the Earth’s formation,” the release explained.
With files from Cole Schisler
