Existing comment:
Redwoods in Colorado?
The Rocky Mountain region was once much warmer. Thirty-four million years ago, summers were wet and the winters mild. The Florissant region was forested with towering redwoods, cedars, pines, mixed hardwoods, and ferns. Streams flowed through the valley. Insects, birds, mammals, and fish all thrived in this environment.
Fossil leaves serve as ancient thermometers for reading the temperature of the past. By comparing fossil plants with modern vegetation, scientists estimate that the mean annual temperature at Florissant during the Late Eocene was about 56 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to San Francisco today. |