112511

Management Area: 
Robson
Parks: 

Mount Robson Park

Term: 
3 years
Summary of Activity: 
Our research program aims to determine the age, composition, and environmental context of extremely rare Ediacaran fossil assemblages from the southern Canadian Rockies and integrate these new data into the global record of animal evolution. These ancient organisms were almost exclusively soft bodied (lacking mineralized hard parts), so their fossil record is limited and requires exceptional circumstances for preservation. We propose to investigate Ediacaran rocks of the Windermere Supergroup at several locations in Mount Robson Provincial Park over the course of three summers (2025–2027). These locations were selected based on prior work by geologists conducted in the 1980s and 1990s, as well as preliminary observations by Professor Strauss and prior permittee, Professor Akshay Mehra. Fieldwork would ideally be completed between July 1st and September 1st each year, and we would plan to spend ~3-10 days at multiple remote locations. Ediacaran fossils are almost exclusively found in loose talus slopes, so much of our work would be focused on scouring slopes for new specimens – these would be photographed in place and removed from the field for further examination. In addition, to acquire paleoenvironmental context for these fossil assemblages, we propose to measure stratigraphic sections and collect non-fossil-bearing rock samples for geochemical and geochronological analyses (see methodology). We will need to hammer out these samples to ensure that they come from measured locations within the rock outcrops, as stratigraphic context is critical to our understanding of how environments change through time. Given the small size of these samples and our commitment to undertaking careful sampling largely out of view of well-trodden areas, the overall impact to the park will be minimal.
Permit Type: 
Permittee: 
Justin Strauss
Issue Date: 
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Region: