Scollard Formation, Geological formation in Alberta, Canada
The Scollard Formation is a geological unit in southwestern Alberta composed of alternating layers of sandstone, siltstone, and shale. These deposits accumulated over millions of years and today provide a window into the region's ancient environmental history.
This formation records the transition from the Late Cretaceous into the early Paleocene and shows how the landscape changed before and after a major extinction event. The rocks preserve evidence of this transformative period through their composition and the fossils they contain.
Research teams from universities across Alberta conduct regular field studies at the formation to document its geological characteristics and fossil discoveries.
Visitors can access multiple locations across the region to observe the different rock layers and fossils firsthand. Best exposures appear along cliff faces and cut banks where the strata are clearly visible.
The rock layers preserve fossils of dinosaurs and plants that reveal how life changed at one of Earth's most important boundaries. This makes the formation a rare place where you can literally see across the boundary between two major eras of Earth history.
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