Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Reserve has officially been designated as a charter member of a new state geological trail. According to Philip J. Stokes, PhD, Executive Director Hamburg Natural History Society/Penn Dixie, this was unexpected news. At the same time, the news is very rewarding, especially for science and nature enthusiasts.
The NYS Assembly Bill A04328A, signed by Governor Kathy Hochul, “Provides for the designation of geologically significant areas, territories and sites throughout the state, and for the establishment of a state geological trail” to be managed by “planners, educators, and conservationists.”
Penn Dixie joins fellow geological resources on the esteemed geological trail list, including Letchworth, Watkins Glen, Whiteface Mountain, and dozens of others.
Assemblymember Jon D. Rivera said, “New York State boasts some of the most robust geological and environmental gems in the Northeast. From Niagara Falls and Letchworth State Park, to the Adirondack and Catskill mountains, our state offers some of the most breathtaking vistas and awe-inspiring hiking opportunities. Through the passage of Bill A04328, New York State will properly recognize our environmental abundance through the creation of a series of statewide geological trails that will provide recreation and conservational awareness to residents and tourists alike.”
Stokes said “We are tremendously proud for Penn Dixie to be honored as one of the first members of New York’s geological trail. We thank Governor Hochul, the Assembly, and Senate for recognizing our park as an economic, scientific, cultural, and conservation gem. Let’s rock and roll.”
Penn Dixie is ranked as the number one fossil park in the United States, holds a Guinness World Record for largest fossil dig, and welcomes science enthusiasts from around the globe to uncover trilobites, brachiopods, and corals that lived in a shallow ocean 380 million years ago.
Penn Dixie Fossil Park & Nature Preserve
4050 North Street | Blasdell, New York 14219 | (716) 627-4560
Website: penndixie.org
Lead image courtesy Penn Dixie