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CBT helps bring trilobites to Fort Steele
Look around you.
About 500 million years ago, right where you are likely sitting, would have been ocean.
And that was a trilobite that just wriggled past you. Look, there are more; lots more.
Welcome to the Paleozoic era.
This summer, Fort Steele Heritage Town is welcoming the Trilobite Fossil Research Clinic, giving visitors the opportunity to discover and take home trilobite fossils.
The nifty addition to Fort Steele is in part courtesy of Columbia Basin Trust (CBT), which came forward with a $17,000 contribution to the project, “which will also help scientists understand the geological and paleontological wonders that exist with the area,” noted a CBT media release.
“CBT is proud to support this project that is educating Basin residents, visitors and scientists about the region’s past, and which will also provide scientific information that supports future studies in this field of research,” said Jennifer Krotz, CBT Community Liaison.
Scientists have known for a long time that trilobite fossils are abundant near Cranbrook. However, there have been no scientific studies to date to determine the extent of the fossils, their types and their scientific significance. Visitors to Fort Steele are now invited to crack open rocks to find trilobite fossils, while scientists on site record the fossils for research purposes, CBT’s release noted.
If the trilobite is a common find, the visitor can take it home. If it is rare, the fossil will be kept for further study and the visitor can choose a different fossil to keep.
“This is a great chance for people to discover the early life forms that existed half a billion years ago in the southeast region of B.C.,” said Chris Jenkins, a member of the Trilobite Research Project, the group hosting the clinic. “One boy has already discovered a rare trilobite, possibly a new species altogether. We encourage people to come and discover more.”
The Trilobite Research Project is a collaboration of the following partners: Chris Jenkins, the Fort Steele Historical Society, College of the Rockies, Rocky Mountain School District No. 6 and the Burgess Shale Geoscience Foundation.
CBT / e-KNOW
