Oldest Fossilised Forest Discovered in England, Dating Back 390 Million Years

The Devonian period forest, containing the earliest known fossil trees in Britain, offers new insights into Earth's ecological history.

The oldest fossilised forest on Earth, dating back 390 million years, has been discovered near Butlin's holiday camp in Minehead, along the Devon and Somerset coast of South West England.
The forest, from the Devonian period, contains the earliest known fossil trees in Britain, known as Calamophyton, which resemble palm trees but were prototypes of modern trees.
Calamophyton trees were crucial in stabilizing landscapes and preventing flooding, significantly impacting the evolution of seed-bearing plants and the establishment of early land animals.
The discovery challenges previous assumptions about the lack of significant plant fossils in the area and highlights the rapid development of early forests.
This finding provides new insights into the ecology of the earliest forests and their role in shaping Earth's landscapes, offering a glimpse into a key stage in Earth's development.