Fossil Talk: Saving Foulden Maar and Other Important Otago

Dr Daphne Lee from the University of Otago will present an illustrated talk about the fight to save important fossil sites in Otago from mining by overseas interests.

The South Island is home to many of New Zealand’s most important terrestrial fossil sites. The Miocene Foulden and Hindon Maar deposits hold tens of thousands of amazingly well-preserved fossil plants and animals: leaves, flowers and fruit, freshwater fish with eyes and skin, entire spiders and insects. Most of our amber fossils come from a coal mine near Roxburgh.

Some of these sites have been under threat from mining and other human activities as well as natural processes. How can we protect and preserve our fossil treasures and geological features for future generations?