Devonian tree stumps discovered from upstate New York have long been known as the world's earliest example of a forest. The cover article in the 1 March issue of Nature reports a major advance in studies of the "Gilboa forest," one of my geological attractions of New York. The best examples of the tree fossils were uncovered during construction of a reservoir in 1920, but the site has been buried ever since. New construction work uncovered the original exposure of the forest in 2010, and researchers had two weeks to document the site in detail.
The footprints of the ancient trees were fully visible, exposing traces of their root systems for the first time. The researchers found several more plant species, including tree-climbing plants, that painted a picture of a complex forest biome. It was the experience of a lifetime for the paleontologists. "As we walked among these trees, we had a window onto a lost world that is now once again closed, perhaps forever," lead author William Stein of Binghamton University told the local newspaper. "It was a great privilege to be given that access."
Other reading:
Cardiff University press release with more photos
NY State Museum press release with more scientific detail
New York geology
Gilboa stump — Geology Guide photo
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