Geologist says PEI emerging as ‘prime’ site for fossil discovery

Prince Edward Island may soon be known for more than Anne of Green Gables, beaches and potatoes — a Nova Scotia-based geologist says the province is emerging as a promising new frontier for fossil discoveries.

John Calder, a geologist under contract with the PEI government to help identify fossil discoveries, said the island has begun to attract the attention of researchers around the world after an increase in discoveries in recent years.

Calder said there has long been a belief among geologists that fossils would be rare because of the red sandstone on P.E.I., known in geological terms as the “Red Beds.”

“The general thinking has always been that the red beds don’t really preserve fossils well. Well, that’s not so true, not the case at all… People haven’t looked, and if you don’t go looking, you won’t find,” he told CBC. island morning.

“PEI is no longer considered a barren area for fossils by geologists and indeed soon, with more publications and more information, it is going to take its place alongside the pre-eminent sites of this geological time period in Earth’s history.”

The recent wave of discoveries has come not from professional scientists, but from the islanders themselves.

Calder pointed to North Rustico resident Patrick Brunet, who has uncovered many of the fossils found on P.E.I. in recent years.

“When it comes to identifying important fossils, he is an incredible detective, not only coming across things by chance, but also educating himself.”

Islanders will have a chance to see some of these discoveries up close during Fossil Day hosted by the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation on April 10 at the Charlottetown Library Learning Centre.

Calder will also speak about fossil discoveries on the island at the monthly Nature PEI meeting at the Beaconsfield Carriage House on April 7.

The story behind the PEI fossils

Although Calder is from Nova Scotia, he said PEI has long been a special place to him. He explored the geological history of the island in his 2018 book, island at the center of the world.

He said the province’s red rocks date back less than 300 million years to the Permian period – before the age of dinosaurs – a time when reptiles began to diversify.

At that time, the climate was generally warm, with rivers depositing mud and sand on their banks. Those sediments will dry quickly in sunlight.

“Any animals that walk or plants that fall into it have a very good chance of being preserved because it will dry out and harden and make that footprint or whatever falls into it, preserved in the mud and sand,” Calder said.

“In particular, the footprints of reptiles and amphibians are brilliantly preserved, but also things like insects, bones, skeletons, entire intact skeletons of reptiles.”

Look Learn more about PEI’s first fossil, found in 1845:

Learn more about PEI’s first fossil found in 1845

In 1845 a farmer was digging a well and found PEI’s first fossil. We learn a little more from geologist Laura McNeil about the creature that called this area home 300 million years ago.

Calder said his work on the island focuses on assessing fossils found on PEI, which are now cared for by Parks Canada and the PEI Museum and Heritage Foundation.

He recently viewed Brunet’s catalog of more than 100 fossils discovered last year, most of which Calder said could form the basis of a permanent collection.

“The numbers are really growing, and hopefully one day you’ll have a museum on the island. I mean, people are anxious to think about the day when there will be there and there will be a well-curated collection that represents this time period,” Calder said.

“It’s not just people with PhDs studying it. It’s also for islanders and visitors to the island to be able to come and see a representation of it, you know, see the collection on display and be amazed.”