Fallen fossil tree in coal mine
Howard Falcon-Lang (University of Bristol) and John Nelson (Illinois State Geological Survey) mark off the width of a large fossil tree trunk lying just above the contact of the coal bed.
Courtesy Illinois State Geological Survey.
This image is in the Public Domain.
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I've been doing some hiking in Illinois and i have found large chunks of coal just laying in the woods and what looks like fossilized wood should i report it. If so to who would i contact
You could try contacting a local museum or a university geology department.
Was the tree of the type normally found in swamps?
Yes. These coal layers were formed in a mire forest. The trees were typical of those that grew in low-lands and estuaries.