inyo
noticing nice landscape pebbles
Member since September 2014
Posts: 85
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Post by inyo on Jan 31, 2019 12:26:51 GMT -5
Here's a series of eight satellite images from Google Earth that documents the systematic destruction of a famous fossil leaf locality in the 12 to 10 million year-old middle to lower-late Miocene Mint Canyon Formation, Los Angeles County, California. A local geology professor had first brought the locality to the attention of the paleobotanical community in early 1971.
But, beginning sometime in either 2004 or 2005, construction activities eventually leveled (AKA, bulldozed) the area in preparation for the erection of a rather localized commercial district (in order to more efficiently serve the burgeoning population of the immediate vicinity, apparently).
The leaves occurred as brownish to black carbonized impressions in one of several whitish volcanic tuff beds interbedded in the dominantly fluviatile (stream-derived) to lacustrine (lake-deposited) Miocene Mint Canyon Formation.
Here's a list of the most common plants that could be recovered from the now obliterated locality:
Ceanothus precuneatus (buck-brush) Ceanothus n. sp. (island-lilac) Cercocarpus cuneatus (mountain-mahogany) Crossosoma n. sp. (crossosoma) Cupressus sp. (cypress) Cyperacites n. sp. (Sedge Family) Diospyros n. sp. (persimmon) Fraxinus edensis (flowering ash) Fremontia lobata (slippery-elm) Lyonothamnus mohavensis (Catalina ironwood) Mahonia mohavensis (barberry) Persea sp. (avocado) Platanus paucidentata (sycamore) Quercus convexa (oak) Quercus dispersa (scrub oak) Quercus lakevillensis (live oak) Rhus sonorensis (evergreen sumach) Robinia californica (black locust)
A sidelight here is that the late paleobotanist Daniel I. Axelrod first got wind of fossil leaves in the middle to late Miocene Mint Canyon Formation in the 1930s. As a matter of fact, on the morning of December 7, 1941, Axelrod just happened to be collecting from a Mint Canyon Formation locality (a site no longer accessible, by the way, having been swallowed up by real estate developments long ago); upon returning to civilization that day, he of course learned of the Pearl Harbor attack and immediately enlisted in the Army (at the age of 31), where he attained the rank of Major.
Here's the photographic series. All images from Google Earth. That yellow icon in roughly the center of each photo marks the precise spot of the Mint Canyon Formation fossil site. For perspective, area in each photograph is 0.80 mile wide:
Image taken by satellite on August 23, 2002; first available color satellite picture for the region. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of the fossil leaf locality in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on April 21, 2003. Note lush native grasses on the hillsides. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of the fossil leaf locality in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on November 2, 2005. No Google Earth satellite imagery available for this region for all of 2004. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of the fossil leaf locality in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on March 15, 2006. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of the fossil leaf locality in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on January 8, 2008. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of the fossil leaf locality in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on May 24, 2009. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of where the fossil leaf locality once existed in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on October 28, 2011. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of where the fossil leaf locality once existed in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
Image taken by satellite on July 27, 2017; as of 2019, the most recent photograph available. For perspective, area in photograph is 0.80 mile wide. Yellow Google Earth map icon marks the exact position of where the fossil leaf locality once existed in the late middle to lower upper Miocene Mint Canyon Formation (approximately 12 to 10 million years old).
All Of My Fossils-Related (And Music) Pages On The Net
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quartz
Cave Dweller
breakin' rocks in the hot sun
Member since February 2010
Posts: 3,339
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Post by quartz on Jan 31, 2019 23:51:54 GMT -5
Sad that the almighty dollar takes precedence over so much of natures work. The hours of educational opportunity and enjoyment lost forever.
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Post by Peruano on Feb 1, 2019 8:29:49 GMT -5
There is a saying "Save water, they are not making any more." I guess we could adapt it for fossil beds, and mountain topography -- they are limited in number and take millions of years to form.
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Don
Cave Dweller
He wants you too, Malachi.
Member since December 2009
Posts: 2,616
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Post by Don on Feb 1, 2019 10:27:20 GMT -5
Progress, ain't it grand? Same think happened to many ancient mounds and archaeology sites throughout the USA.
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Post by arghvark on Mar 3, 2019 10:14:45 GMT -5
A bit off topic but tangentially related: In France there is a national law which states basically that if anything of any archaeological interest is found at any construction site, it must be reported to authorities and the area must be studied prior to continuing construction. Continuation of the project is contingent upon approval at the national level, which includes historical and archaeological inputs.
Thing is, in certain parts of the country, no matter where you dig you're pretty much guaranteed to find something. Many cities have existed in one form or another since Roman times, and some longer. In addition, many parts of western Europe have been inhabited for 10s of thousands of years or more.
An example: A large shopping center project with an underground parking structure in the heart of Aix-en-Provence (a town of about 150k near where I lived) was delayed for nearly 10 years for a full scale archaeological dig.
Large scale projects like this, with participation of government agencies, can handle that sort of timeline. But projects financed by small-to-medium-sized companies, for example construction of individual dwellings, simply can't afford it. In some cases an investment and consequent delay of even a year or two can result in bankruptcy. As a result, many smaller companies give explicit instruction to employees that if anything that could be construed as fossils, artifacts, or ruins is found, above all NOTHING must be said about it.
Not trying to inject any specific opinion, and not at all familiar with the situation surrounding that fossil site. Just making an observation that sometimes it's complicated to manage.
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Post by stephan on Mar 3, 2019 22:06:35 GMT -5
There used to be a shark tooth site in Scotts Valley, CA (a few miles inland from Santa Cruz). It now boasts storage units. I wonder how many of those units house rock collections.
Unfortunately, "progress" happened before I got a chance to go there.
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Post by aDave on Mar 3, 2019 23:07:13 GMT -5
I used to live near this site, and I drive by it periodically. While I lived there, I never knew about it's value as we speak to it now. Was there an outcry of any sorts as this area was developed? It's easy to look back in hindsight, but I'm wondering what action was taken to preserve the area as an archaeological site. If no one said anything, then well...
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Mar 4, 2019 2:18:44 GMT -5
Like most land development project requirements in California since 1970, an environmental impact report must be processed (NEPA = Federal Law, CEQA = State law), that demonstrates a "Determination of Significance" related to not only environmental issues, but also socio-economic and mandatory/sustainable resource demand requirements.......!
Depending on the "pre-development" geotechnical and (if required due the geotechnical exploration and any known historical significance) archaeological studies performed, the local government will either approve, deny or require stipulations as part of the zoning, design review and construction permitting process........It's a lot more complicated than that and can take years and a ton of money to process.......but in a nut shell, there are several, very stringent sets of laws that must be adhered to in any NEPA/CEQA process.
Evidently, (and I have no knowledge of any of the particulars related to this project), due to it's scale and potential economic value to the surrounding community/local government (jobs, taxes...ect.), it may have been found in it's "Determination of Significance", that whatever negative archaeological impact the project would have, was outweighed by the positive future socio-economic influence it would have on the community........and more than likely, it was determined that there would be no negative impact on the current sustainable resources needed to support the facility........I know, I sound like one of your local politicians.......lol.......was on a local Planning Commission for a few years.
Now, in reality........any number of specific conditions can be and are negotiated (even with one of the most complicated CEQA applications). It's a "give & take" process, especially in Los Angeles County......and money talk's loud and clear..! Depending on the horse power and influence the developer had (has), particularly if there was any significant resistance to the project, "set-aside", "sunset" and "back-fill" agreements are common place.....all legal, but milestones are set in order to meet "all" of the requirements over a given set of time.......these could have life spans over 10yrs.
I'd bet that little (outside of tribal issues, oil, gas, mineral rights and significant historical artifacts), would have slowed this project down, particularly where it is geographically located next to a major commerce throughway.........Just my thoughts.
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Post by aDave on Mar 4, 2019 13:58:01 GMT -5
Great explanation, Joe pizzano. Thanks.
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Mar 4, 2019 14:38:40 GMT -5
Great explanation, Joe pizzano . Thanks. You're welcome aDave.....*I really the enjoy articles 1Dave, inyo, vegasjames, and a few others who post topics like this.......!
Just thought I'd throw out a little "background", since I've been professionally employed on both ends of the spectrum (public/private) processing environmental impact reports..........they can be a real pain in the butt, but are critical to the "due process", best engineering practices and economic/environmental feasibility aspects of any land development project..........California set's the bar higher than any other state due to it's fragile eco-system, numerous geo fault issues, lack of natural resources (specifically water/waste water, electricity and solid waste disposal issues) impacted by it's population and various political/social influences.
Note...: Correction required....*edited to acknowledge the proper journalists credit....!
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kog
starting to shine!
Member since March 2019
Posts: 31
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Post by kog on Mar 4, 2019 15:34:31 GMT -5
Just finished re-reading, "Boone," an excellent biography by Robert Morgan, 2007.
From his wandering beginnings when young, Boone began detesting himself for becoming involved in the mass movement, West...
Many is the time I found cool, clear water I could drink during my own youthful hikes and long camps... None found now in the past forty years...
Imagine surfacing in a submarine, mid-Pacific Ocean, climbing out on deck... To gaze at plastic bottles going forever around!
All countries have their very own "aroma" when approaching their shores... "OURS" is diesel!
Ships used to change their distilling plants output to "potable" when I entered the Navy, while only 50 miles out... In less than 30 years, we could be no closer than 250 miles! And, only, Only, after each tank and distilling unit was proven by stringent testing to be well within the lower limit labeled "normal!" By my 30th year, that limit was 500 miles off - Any Shore! And, in ever increasing widening deep ocean spots, we could no longer distill potable water!
You don't believe in Climate Change? Simply take an ocean cruise!
That's my unasked for opinion...
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 7, 2019 9:30:36 GMT -5
Those images are just plain sad. When I was a kid, I lived in Rhode Island. We used to go for Sunday drives that took us all over New England. (small states) I remember there were road side attractions where we could make plaster casts of dinosaur footprints. We could climb all over the boulders and terrain uninhibited. I often wonder what happened to those places. I can't even remember the states let alone the towns. It was sure great fun for kids, though. If they exist at all anymore, I'm sure they are fenced off. ETA- I wonder if it was this place almost 60 years ago. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_Footprints_Reservation
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Post by parfive on Mar 7, 2019 15:59:44 GMT -5
When I was a kid, I lived in Rhode Island. We used to go for Sunday drives that took us all over New England. (small states) I remember there were road side attractions where we could make plaster casts of dinosaur footprints. We could climb all over the boulders and terrain uninhibited. I often wonder what happened to those places. I can't even remember the states let alone the towns. It was sure great fun for kids, though. If they exist at all anymore, I'm sure they are fenced off. ETA- I wonder if it was this place almost 60 years ago. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_Footprints_Reservationor www.dinosaurstatepark.orgen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_State_Park_and_Arboretum
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Post by rockjunquie on Mar 7, 2019 16:03:03 GMT -5
Very cool! I didn't see that.
eta- I see they have a casting area! Awesome! That was so much fun when we were kids. I had mine for the longest time.
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