NATIONAL FOSSIL DAY: CELEBRATING THE SIGNIFICANCE AND ENCOURAGING THE STEWARDSHIP OF FOSSILS

The first National Fossil Day was held on October 13 2010. National Fossil Day is a celebration organized by the National Park Service partnering with the American Geological Institute to promote public awareness and stewardship of fossils, as well as to foster a greater appreciation of their scientific and educational value. Fossils are clues for understanding the history of life, past climates, and ancient landscapes. National Fossil Day was inspired by a mandate of the Paleontological Resources Preservation Act (PRPA), signed into law in March 2009. In addition to managing paleontological resources on federal lands using scientific principles, PRPA mandates establishing a program to increase public awareness about the significance of fossils. Fossils are non-renewable resources, requiring appropriate stewardship. As part of Earth Science Week, National Fossil Day aims to build on a program that reaches 40 million people a year. This year’s Earth Science Week toolkit includes a “Fossils of the National Parks” poster, featuring a map showing more than 228 parks managed by the National Park Service that contain fossils. Fossils discovered on the nation’s public lands preserve ancient life from all major eras of Earth’s history, and from every major group of animal or plant. In the national parks, for example, fossils range from stromatolites in Glacier National Park to the remains of ice-age animals found in caves at Grand Canyon National Park. National Fossil Day is supported by partnerships with state and federal agencies, avocational groups, fossil sites, museums and professional organizations. Representatives from the National Earth Science Teachers Association, Paleontological Research Institution, and University of California Museum of Paleontology were integral in planning. Special events were held nationwide throughout the month of October at national, state and local parks, museums, schools, and other venues. On October 13, premiere events were held on the National Mall in Washington DC and at Grand Canyon National Park. The National Fossil Day concept was very well-received by the paleontology community and efforts are underway to expand National Fossil Day worldwide next year. For more information, visit the National Fossil Day website: http://nature.nps.gov/geology/nationalfossilday/.