A park filled with TONS of fossils in Alberta just got a fancy designation
Alberta has a vast amount of natural beauty, and now a provincial park that’s filled with fossils has just been given a fancy designation.
The federal government announced on Friday that six Canadian sites were named to an international list of the first 100 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,” the government said in a news release.
The six Canadian spots among the first 100 geological heritage locations include five World Heritage sites, two of which are administered by Parks Canada.
Alberta’s very own Dinosaur Provincial Park made the cut, thanks to the greatest concentration of Late Cretaceous dinosaur fossils found on Earth yielding remains of 44 species of dinosaurs and many other organisms.
The park was first inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1979.
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The list of geological heritage sites is the initiative of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Other spots in Canada to be named a geological heritage spot included Burgess Shale in BC, Joggins Fossil Cliffs in Nova Scotia, and Gros Morne National Park and Mistaken Point, both in Newfoundland and Labrador.
The first 100 IUGS geological heritage sites were selected among 181 applications from 56 countries, and include different types of sites and geological interests, with additional spots expected to be added in the future.
So, there you have it. If you are a fan of fossils and everything prehistoric, Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta is the place to be!
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