Joggins Fossil Book Published
The province has published a book that celebrates Nova Scotia's famous geological past and its contributions to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
Coal Age Galapagos: the Joggins Fossil Cliffs tells the story of the UNESCO World Heritage Site in Cumberland County, known as the world's most outstanding example of the coal age of some 300 million years ago.
"The province is delighted to help bring forward this exceptional book about the unique geological heritage, history and people who have made Joggins worthy of world attention," said Natural Resources Minister Charlie Parker. "I congratulate our department's senior geologist, Dr. John Calder, for telling the Joggins fossil story in a way that will entice young readers, the non-scientific and experts alike."
Mr. Parker and the author presented a copy of the book to Premier Darrell Dexter, today, April 18, to be placed in the legislative library in Province House.
The book describes how Darwin's mentor, Sir Charles Lyell, worked with expert Nova Scotian scientists more than a century ago on unique fossil research at the cliffs, which Darwin used to defend his ideas on evolution. The Joggins fossil cliffs are referenced several times in Darwin's 1859 book, On the Origin of Species.
Coal Age Galapagos was published by the province, in part, to lend support to the Joggins Fossil Institute, which opens its centre for the 2012 season on Sunday with an 11 a.m. tour of the cliffs and a 1 p.m. book-signing by the author.
"The Joggins Fossil Institute is delighted to host Dr. John Calder for the release of his book during our 5th anniversary event on April 22," said Jenna Boon, director of the Joggins Fossil Institute.
"It was incredibly generous of the province of Nova Scotia to donate 500 copies of the first printing of this new book to the institute as it will aid in realizing our shared goals of protecting, presenting and promoting the Joggins Fossil Cliffs UNESCO World Heritage Site."
The province's donation will help The Joggins Fossil Centre raise funds through book sales to visitors.
Mr. Calder and Ms. Boon were co-authors of the nomination that led to the designation of the Joggins cliffs as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2008.
"I grew up near these cliffs and wrote this book to share the great scientific and human story of Joggins with the rest of Nova Scotia and the world," said Mr. Calder.
The author began the book with seed funding from the Canadian Geological Foundation. The book is available for purchase at the Joggins Fossil Centre and via the Department of Natural Resources' library by calling 902-424-8633 or visiting www.gov.ns.ca/natr .