Relics of an ancient forest
Fossil trees in Regents Park
There are two clusters of fossil wood beside the small lake of Queen Mary's Garden in Regent's Park. Where did they come from? Why are they there?
The
specimens of fossil wood came from the Lower Purbeck Beds on the Isle of Portland in Dorset. In the Jurassic period of geological time a forest of massive cypress and monkey-puzzle trees grew alongside giant cycad ferns. tree trunks grew millions of years ago and were then submerged in a salty lagoon where they turned to stone.
The Royal Botanic Society placed these fossil here in the 1840s.
Submitted by: Andrew Hunt, 20 January 2007
