Explore the Geologic Secrets of Illinois' Fossil Rain Forest

The general public is invited to a free lecture, "Geologic Secrets of Illinois' Fossil Rain Forest", presented by Scott D. Elrick, Coal Section geologist at the Illinois State Geological Survey. The lecture will begin at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 6, 2008, at Beckman Institute Auditorium, 405 North Matthews Avenue, Urbana, Illinois.

Elrick will describe the discovery and ongoing exploration of a 300-million-year-old fossilized forest, found near Danville, Illinois. Photographs of these beautifully preserved and somewhat bizarre plants, many of which are now extinct, will be showcased during the presentation. Fossil specimens will be available for viewing.

This ancient forest is the world's largest intact rain forest from this time ever to be discovered. At just under 10 square miles, the forest's sheer size offers an unprecedented view of ancient forest life and diversity. This rare find, discovered in the roof of an underground coal mine, opens a tantalizing window into the past. The forest plants and their encapsulating geology reveal much about the ancient environmental conditions during the time of their formation and about the coal they left behind. Elrick will describe the geology surrounding this amazing underground discovery and the tectonic and climatic factors that led to the remarkable preservation of this fossil forest.

Recognized as one of the top 100 science stories of 2007 by Discover Magazine, the fossil forest story has already attracted the attention of the Smithsonian, Weather Channel, and Discovery Channel, among others.

Scott Elrick was born and reared in Champaign, Illinois. He received his B.S. degree in geology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and his M.S. in geology from the University of California, Riverside. He has been a geologist in the Coal Section at the Illinois State Geological Survey for 9 years. His current studies include the stratigraphy, sedimentation, and climate of the Pennsylvanian, emphasizing the timing and origin of coal in the Illinois Basin.

This lecture is part of the ISGS Lecture Series and is sponsored by the ISGS and donors to the ISGS Lecture Series and Open House Fund.

Updated 8/14/2009 SLD