World's oldest forest is just a short drive from NYC: Grew 385 MILLION years ago and was seen by DINOSAURS

[Judi Lynn]

The Cairo site in Green County, around two hours north of the city by car, grew 385million years ago

Researchers have found evidence that early plant life in the ancient forest was once seen by dinosaurs
By EMMA RICHTER FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

PUBLISHED: 10:41 EST, 14 January 2024 | UPDATED: 12:30 EST, 14 January 2024

The world's oldest forest has been discovered just a short drive from New York City, scientists have revealed.

The Cairo site in Green County, around two hours north of the city by car, grew 385million years ago and 'would have even been seen by dinosaurs,' the researchers told the BBC.

Experts from SUNY Binghamton and the University of Cardiff in Wales have found extraordinarily early plant life in fossils. The forest would have stretched from New York to Pennsylvania and the fossilized roots suggest the trees would have grown up to 65ft tall, with a trunk up to 5ft in diameter.

The evolution of trees marked the beginning of a significant shift in the planet's climate by pulling carbon dioxide from the air and creating the atmosphere in which human beings thrive today.

The archeological site was first discovered in 2009 and the team have spent years analyzing the roots so that they could accurately date the trees and understand the types of species that populated the forest.

More:
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12961805/worlds-oldest-forest-cairo-new-york-fossils-dinosaurs.html