A new exhibit at the Joggins Fossil Centre in Nova Scotia now combines both coal and fossils, with a little bit of help from the community.
“People in the community are really passionate about … the coal mining days,” says curator Dr. Melissa Grey. “The coal came from 300 million years ago when all these fossils were formed.”
The exhibit opened in mid-May and was created in collaboration with Mount Allison University, combining relics and artefacts from human history with objects from natural history.
Many of the items on display have been donated by locals with a connection to life above and below ground.
“It's sort of an ever-changing exhibit,” says Dr. Grey. “As people know about this exhibit, they will donate certain artifacts, specifically from the coal mining age. But they might also have fossils they want to put on display.”
Tourist Pierre Cambillard from the Shetland Islands found it fascinating.
“The fact that this place has fossils, it's quite a tremendous attraction for us. We love the history of the stones,” says Cambillard.
No one knows that history better than Don Reed, who was a longtime coalminer and fossil hunter before passing away.
But Reed left behind some of his greatest finds.
“He walked to the cliffs daily finding fossils,” says Dr. Grey. “More than half of the fossils here on display were founded by Don. He was a coalminer at one point and that's where his passion ignited.”
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Jonathan MacInnis.
