A reflection on the collision of human and geological time at the site of Ferne Clyff State Park, Illinois.

The 300-million-year-old fossil forest

Millions of years ago, the area of Ferne Clyff State Park, Illinois was a swampy wetland that provided the breeding ground for a now fossilized forest. At this site, the marks of geological and anthropogenic activities alike are written into the landscape. In this field trip reflection, Sara Black and Amber Ginsburg contemplate the collision of human and geological time in this complex ecosystem.