Situado a lo largo de la costa de Nueva Escocia, en el este del Canadá, este sitio paleontológico de 689 hectáreas se ha solido denominar “las Galápagos de la Era Carbonífera”, debido a la abundancia de fósiles de este periodo geológico (354 a 290 millones de años antes de nuestra era). Las rocas de este sitio se consideran arquetipos de esa era de la historia de la Tierra y constituyen el vestigio más espeso y completo del estrato del período pensilvano (318 a 303 millones de años antes de nuestra era) con el cúmulo más rico de fósiles de formas de vida terrestres de esa época. Este yacimiento fosilífero contiene restos y huellas de los primeros animales y de los bosques húmedos donde vivían, que se han conservado intactos in situ. El sitio se extiende a lo largo de 14,7 kilómetros de acantilados y riscos marinos, plataformas rocosas y playas, y comprende los vestigios de tres ecosistemas diferentes: una bahía-estuario, un bosque húmedo de llanura inundable y una planicie aluvial boscosa, propensa a los incendios, con charcas de agua dulce. El sitio presenta el más rico conjunto fosilífero de las formas de vida de estos tres tipos de ecosistemas, con 96 géneros y 148 especies de fósiles y 20 conjuntos de huellas. Se ha inscrito en la Lista del Patrimonio Mundial por ser un ejemplo ilustrativo excepcional de una serie de etapas importantes de la historia de la Tierra.

Valor universal excepcional en inglés

The Joggins Fossil Cliffs have been termed the “coal age Galápagos” and are the world reference site for the “Coal Age”. Their complete and accessible fossil-bearing rock exposures provide the best evidence known of the iconic features of the Pennsylvanian (or Carboniferous) period of Earth History. Criterion (viii): Earth’s history, geological and geomorphic features and processes: The “grand exposure” of rocks at Joggins Fossil Cliffs contains the best and most complete known fossil record of terrestrial life in the iconic “Coal Age”: the Pennsylvanian (or Carboniferous) period in Earth’s history. The site bears witness to the first reptiles in Earth history, which are the earliest representatives of the amniotes, a group of animals that includes reptiles, dinosaurs, birds, and mammals. Upright fossil trees are preserved at a series of levels in the cliffs together with animal, plant and trace fossils that provide environmental context and enable a complete reconstruction to be made of the extensive fossil forests that dominated land at this time, and are now the source of most of the world’s coal deposits. The property has played a vital role in the development of seminal geological and evolutionary principles, including through the work of Sir Charles Lyell and Charles Darwin, for which the site has been referred to as the “coal age Galápagos”. Integrity The boundaries of the property are clearly defined in relation to logical stratigraphic criteria and include all of the areas necessary to fully display the fossil record of Joggins including the cliff face and foreshore rock exposures, and include both the most fossiliferous strata and younger and older rocks that provide geological context. The inland extent of the property is defined based on the eroding top of the cliffs and this is a fully justifiable and logical basis to cope with the dynamic nature of this coastal property. A relatively narrow buffer zone is defined, which is not part of the inscribed property, but is sufficient to control coastal development which could otherwise threaten the values of the property. Protection and management requirements The property has effective legal protection and has the strong support of all levels of government, including in relation to the provision of funding. Some aspects of the legislation, such as for the licensing of fossil collection are cumbersome and would benefit from review, although can be better implemented if site managers are empowered to do so. The site is well resourced, including through the provision of a new visitor centre, and is managed in a way that can be considered to set international standards. The effective process of community involvement and partnerships between scientists, museums and economic interests are also noted, and the biggest challenge of the property will be to maintain the level of performance and resources required in the future.