Fossil Alder Leaf - Cache Creek, BC

This is a 52 million years fossil alder leaf of the species Alnus parvifolia from the McAbee Fossil Beds in Cache Creek BC. These fossil beds represent an ancient lake and the fossils were preserved in a fine layer of silt that build up over the years as diatoms in the lake bloomed and died.

I collected these fossils over a decade ago when the site was in private ownership. In 2012 the site was acquired by the Canadian government and declared a Canadian Heritage Site, so no additional material will be coming on the market from this site.