outreach edition - Royal Tyrrell Museum

issue 12 | winter 2008
outreach edition
to begin
Contents
Our Four Walls
Museums are often regarded as impenetrable structures designed to preserve and protect our
history. At the Royal Tyrrell Museum, we are much more than a cultural warehouse; we are
a hub of information and knowledge, from which we reach out to our community—both
within Alberta and around the world.
One of our primary objectives is to make science education widely accessible. In order
to achieve this, we search for unique, collaborative projects that take us beyond our walls. This
past spring and summer saw a number of those projects come to life, including:
✺ The development of a new provincial sign system, Alberta’s Fossil Trail. Designed to highlight
significant palaeontological resources throughout the province, these signs guide curious
travellers as they explore our region’s ancient history.
to begin
Our Four Walls
On the Cover
of note
In the Community
to develop a protective strategy for the Willow Creek Hoodoo Provincial Historic Site.The
Andy Neuman, Director
awareness.
✺ Summer fieldwork in areas throughout the province, spanning from the Athabasca River
in the North to the Milk River in the South. The results of which produced exciting discoveries
Innovations in Preservation
features
From the Field
Outreach
that will fuel some challenging scientific research in the months ahead.
✺ The initiation of a strategic plan for the redevelopment of exhibits at our field station
(responsible for Dinosaur Park Visitor Centre) the renewal will deliver a more complete
Red Fish, Blue Fish…
account of dinosaur diversity by focusing on stories that stem from decades of research
within this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
With the arrival of fall and the onset of winter we find ourselves back in the confines of our
facility. It is a time for research, reviews and planning. Our public focus shifts to educational
programs, and we prepare to welcome thousands of eager learners.
Of course, even when it comes to education we’re reaching out these days. Our Shell Outreach
Van travels to schools throughout the region, while our innovative Distance Learning program
now spans the globe. On-site, off-site or on-line, it is clear that museums are changing—and
we’re excited about doing our best to try to keep pace!
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in depth
Behind the Scenes
From the Vault
Gaffney Turtle Symposium
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Hoodoo vandalism
On the Cover ✺ (Un) Natural Destruction
in addition
Going Green
From the Archives
Poster Winner Correction
Ask the Expert
Darwin 200
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for fun
Prehistoric Arts Contest
Activity Page
Technosaurs (back cover)
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Detrimental human erosion, combined with wind and rain/
snow erosion, is a battle being fought at the Willow Creek
Hoodoo Provincial Historic Site, east of Drumheller. When
the hoodoos’ soft sandstone is wet, it often becomes a vandal’s
canvas—permanently defaced. This small hoodoo lost its cap
and no longer has protection from the elements of nature.
Discover how we’re helping preserve these geological wonders
on page 6.
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
Andy Neuman
Executive Director, Royal Tyrrell Museum
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“we are much
more than a cultural
warehouse; we are a hub
of information and
knowledge…”
from the lab
at Dinosaur Provincial Park. A collaborative partnership between Alberta Culture and
Community Spirit (which operates the field station) and Tourism, Parks and Recreation
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the science
✺ A partnership with Sustainable Resource Development and the Town of Drumheller
plan will decrease the vulnerability of these distinct formations while enhancing public
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the science
of note
In the Community ✺ Mini Chucks
Staff from the Museum donned their community spirit this past
summer when one of their own, Luke Wolters, rode in Drumheller’s
very first mini-chuckwagon races. Local radio station Q91 hosted
the fundraising event held during the Drumheller rodeo.
Inspired by horse-driven chuckwagon races, mini-chuck racers
peddle tricycles pulling tarp covered wagons with the winning
driver receiving $5,000 to donate to the charity of their choice.
Wolters, a fearless competitive cyclist with an impressive concussion
count, was hand-picked to represent the Museum’s Cooperating
Society. From the moment he arrived, the tattooed athlete spewed
intimidation. It seemed apparent the race was in the bag. It didn’t
take long, however, to realize that in a battle of tiny trikes, strength
and grit are easily outweighed by grace and agility. Lithe competitors
(whose tricycling years seemed in the very near past) left our man
in the dust, navigating hairpin curves with ease. Alas, all for a good
cause, defeat in the name of charity is noble indeed.
“…in a province so
vast and full of promise,
it’s not always easy to
be a fossil cop!”
Jennifer Hysuick
Innovations in Preservation
We all know that Alberta’s rich fossil history is directly linked to its incredible natural
resource base. Now, imagine how challenging it might be to ensure the preservation
of our ancient history in the face of industry exploration! Under the auspices of the
province’s Historical Resources Act, the Royal Tyrrell Museum works with individuals
and companies to identify any potential hazards to historic resources before it’s too late.
But in a province so vast and full of promise, it’s not always easy to be a fossil cop!
In the Community ✺ Alberta Arts Day
Colin Regamey
The province of Alberta celebrated its inaugural Arts Day on September
6, 2008. As part of the festivities, the Royal Tyrrell Museum hosted
a groundbreaking, interactive, world-wide web offering, entitled
Up Close and Palaeo.
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As a leader in videoconferencing education, the Museum has delivered
more than 300 programs to over 8,600 students around the world in
just three years. With the Government of Alberta’s SuperNet in place,
and partners like ATCO and TELUS on board, numbers will continue
to rise, as our educators tour the globe—without even needing
their passports.
The mapping system, known as ArcGIS, enables the Museum to pinpoint where our
fossils were found, thereby identifying them as sensitive areas. Now, when industries
contact us regarding a potential work site, we are able to quickly identify the region’s
scientific significance. Should the mapping system indicate the region has, or does
contain, anything of historical value, an appropriate site investigation is completed.
The system is still in its infancy, with new data added daily. However, the technology
is already allowing us to more efficiently and accurately preserve our past for future
generations, arming our fossil cops with an incredibly powerful tool.
Luke Wolters
The Royal Tyrrell Museum celebrates its 25th anniversary in 2010! The Museum opened to the public on September 25, 1985.
Each year, almost half a centimetre of soft rock erodes off the tops of the hills and is ultimately carried away by the Red Deer River.
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
During this scientifically themed Q and A program, Albertans were
able to post their toughest palaeontolocial ponderings to an educator,
streaming live from the Royal Tyrrell Museum Distance Learning
Studio. The broadcast was a great success as staff fielded questions
from viewers across the region.
Success required innovation, and so innovate we did! Researchers at the Museum recently
adopted a highly sophisticated means of preserving the province’s palaeontology while
effectively collaborating with major industries and other researchers. By combining
information about our collections and known discoveries with a geographical mapping
system, we are able to quickly identify and communicate any potential dangers, particularly
regarding our most significant sites.
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From the Field
Every museum has a mandate—a statement that drives the
It’s autumn again, when the Museum’s scientific team returns from the field and delves into the
discoveries made throughout the summer season. This year our crews stayed a little closer to home
exploring Alberta from as far north as Athabasca to Milk River in the South.
development of its exhibits, education/public programs, and
research. At the Royal Tyrrell Museum, ours dedicates us to the
protection, preservation and presentation of palaeontological
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François Therrien
spent time collecting a Troodon (a small
bird-like dinosaur) nest from Devil’s Coulee
and prospecting along Milk River.
Craig Scott
searched for traces of fossil mammals in
both Cretaceous and Paleocene localities.
Several old sites of interest were relocated
and some new localities were found.
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Don Brinkman
identified two sites in Dinosaur Park
that crews will start work on next year.
One of the localities contains a large
theropod skeleton.
Donald Henderson
explored along the Oldman River where
he collected a skull of a ceratopsian that
appears to be new, and located a second
specimen for collection next season.
David Eberth
will spend next summer working on the
ceratopsian-rich bonebed Don Brinkman
found this season. This site may help fill
in a significant stratigraphic gap.
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tracks @ traces * outreach edition
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Jim Gardner
worked with Craig searching for some of
the older mammal-producing localities
as these sites are also known to contain
amphibian remains—the focus of his
research work.
Mike Newbrey
discovered an acanthomorph, a new fossil
fish, while working in Dry Island Buffalo
Jump Provincal Park.
Courtesy of the Archives of Ontario
At the end of the season a group from the Museum made their way down the Athabasca River
to participate in a jet boat-based prospecting trip. Led by Don Henderson, the crew consisted
of the Museum’s Executive Director, Andrew Neuman, and two technicians, Darren Tanke and Mark
Mitchell. Though the four-day expedition did not reveal any trace of dinosaur material, as was
hoped, several new sites with interesting fish scales and shark teeth were discovered.
The map above was created by David Thompson in 1814 as he surveyed the Canadian West. Only after his death in 1857 was the map
discovered by J.B. Tyrrell while working for the Geological Survey of Canada.
history, with an emphasis on Alberta’s rich fossil heritage.
Beyond Our Four Walls
Beyond Our Four Walls…
If you’ve visited the Royal Tyrrell Museum, you’re aware of how we meet our mandate
inside the building—awe-inspiring exhibits, innovative programs, and groundbreaking
scientific research. What you may not know is that we also use our mandate to reach
out across the province to protect, preserve, and interpret the palaeontological past.
Over the past year, we’ve undertaken a number
of projects that include:
These pillars of soft sandstone rock topped by a harder
sandstone “cap” have been subjected to thousands of years
of wind and rain erosion, leaving them as smaller versions
of what they once were. Due to their proximity to the
Museum, as our visitation increases, so does the growing
traffic to the hoodoos, officially designated as a provincial
historic site in January 2001. Each year, over 60,000 people
visit the site, adding human induced erosion to the fragile
sandstone pillars. In order to safeguard these natural icons
of Alberta, the Museum has chosen to work closely with the
Town of Drumheller.
Over the past few years, the Royal Tyrrell Museum has raised
visitor awareness about these geological wonders and their
fragility. We created a non-invasive natural pathway marked
by interpretive signs that offer information about this valley.
We also hire a team of “hoodoos staff” during summer,
when visitation peaks, to explain the hoodoos’ significance
and prevent and monitor any further human destruction
to the site. Future plans include improvements by the Town
to enhance the visitors’ experience in the parking lot and
picnic area.
Though the Willow Creek Hoodoos aren’t officially the
Royal Tyrrell Museum’s responsibility, they are a unique
environmental phenomena we believe need to be preserved
and protected for future generations.
Alberta’s Fossil Trail
Each of the stops along the Trail features
an interpretive sign with current scientific information, stunning illustrations, and noteworthy palaeontological history.
Now you can stand on, and learn about, the Paskapoo Formation—a thick rock unit that dates back 60 million years!
Whether you’re a palaeontology enthusiast, a naturalist who enjoys breathtaking views, or someone who just wants
to discover a time when enigmatic creatures and plants lived—plan a road trip and discover Alberta’s Fossil Trail.
Alberta’s Fossil Trail project was collaborative effort of the Royal Tyrrell Museum, Alberta Parks and Protected Areas,
Devil’s Coulee Dinosaur Heritage Museum, Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation, County of Kneehill, and the cities
of Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, and Grande Prairie.
Tyrrell Field Station
Two hours east of Calgary, Alberta is
a United Nations World Heritage Site
where visitors are taken from a landscape
of rolling grasslands and plunged into
a land inhabited by hoodoos, coulees,
and countless fossils. Dinosaur Provincial
Park, operated by Alberta Tourism, Parks,
and Recreation, has been a hotbed of
fossil discoveries for over a hundred years.
With more than 30 museums around
the world displaying fossils found in
the Park, its significance in preserving
our prehistoric past is apparent. Therefore,
it is only natural that the Park has a
close relationship with the one museum charged with protecting Alberta’s fossil heritage, the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
For years, Museum scientists have spent their summers in the Park discovering new dig sites and revisiting old ones.
So it was only fitting when, in 1987, the Museum opened the Tyrrell Field Station in the Park. Housing not only a laboratory
for fossil preparation, the Field Station also contains a small display of some of the discoveries made in the Park.
As visitation to the Park and Field Station grew over the years, so too did the demand for new facilities. And in May 2006,
the Dinosaur Park Visitor Centre opened, featuring a gift shop, interactive displays, new exhibits, and an 80-seat threatre.
Of course, this also means the original 21-year-old Field Station needs a facelift to keep up! Plans are underway at the
Royal Tyrrell Museum to update and upgrade the older exhibits in the Field Station to compliment the newer addition.
Most of the exhibits in the original part of the building will remain the same, but will be presented differently, reflecting
current research, and should be ready for visitors in summer 2009.
These are just a few of the projects that the Royal Tyrrell Museum is involved with outside the confines of the
Museum itself. We’ve accomplished a lot in our 24 years, but we aren’t finished yet, as there are plenty many
more projects to help us further our mandate!
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
Willow Creek Hoodoos
One of the most popular tourist attractions in the Drumheller
valley is the Willow Creek Hoodoo Provincial Historic Site—
get up close and see the forces of natural erosion at work.
In our effort to find new ways to present
the province’s fossil heritage, the Royal
Tyrrell Museum unveiled an interpretive
signage program in spring 2008, entitled
Alberta’s Fossil Trail. We identified nine
of the most palaeontologically significant
sites that are accessible for visitors and
yet still protected. The result—a trail
that spans 2500 km round trip.
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bowfin
Red fish, blue fish, bowfin...acanthomorph??
This past summer, Royal Tyrrell Museum scientists returned to Dry Island
Buffalo Jump Provincial Park where they began work in a known bowfin*
fossil fish site. As expected, they came across impressive bowfin fossils,
which, though significant, are hardly uncommon. As work progressed,
however, partially articulated acanthomorph (spiney-rayed) fishes were also
uncovered—spectacularly rare in the Late Cretaceous fossil record.
This new acanthomorph represents a group of advanced fishes with true fin
spines in the dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins. The group it belongs to contains
over 28,000 known species, including many that are commonly known, like
tuna, cod, and walleye. Researchers know almost nothing about basal
(primitive) acanthomorphs from the Cretaceous Period of North America,
so this is an incredibly exciting find.
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
Royal Tyrrell Museum technicians are currently preparing this specimen for
research purposes, along with some other small, partial fish skeletons from
a nearby site.
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*Bowfins are a primitive, bony freshwater fish, typically less than a metre in length,
that fed on snails and smaller fish. They had a distinctively long spineless dorsal fin,
and are sometimes called dogfish or mudfish. There were once many bowfin species,
but today only one remains.
“Preparing” a fossil for research or display is often very time consuming. Some specimens can take up to five years before they
are completely prepared.
ANSWERS FROM THE FUN PAGE: mammoth mystery: shadow #3, find the flies: there are 17 flies, including in the poster and on the fun page!
from the lab
in depth
Behind the Scenes ✺ Visitor Services
Each year, the Royal Tyrrell Museum welcomes over 370,000 visitors from around the world.
With so many people coming through our front doors to visit our galleries, we need to ensure
their safety and security at all times. Meet Cameron White, our new head of security. Though
he may be young, he knows what it takes to make sure our visitors have a safe, enjoyable visit
and still have fun.
What’s the coolest thing that’s happened to you while working at the Museum?
The band Aerosmith was playing in Alberta, and they called to request a tour of the Museum.
I happened to be working that day and was asked to tour them through the galleries. They
loved it—and I loved their enthusiasm for the place. It was amazing.
What do you do in your spare time?
I’m busy with all kinds of things, but most of my time outside of work is dedicated to one
of my two bands. I like performing and I like people. I guess being on stage is not that different
from facilitating visits—people come for an experience and I am in a position to make sure
they have the best one possible.
Cameron White
From the Vault ✺ Daspletosaurus
The Museum welcomes researchers from
around the world to visit and study our vast
collection of palaeontological remains. But on
occasion, our collection staff receives requests
for the loan of one or more of our specimens
for research or display.
If you had to choose, would you pick rock music or rock picks?
That’s hard. I love music, there’s no question. But working here is a dream come true and
sharing what I’ve learned with families and kids keeps me excited about it all. I get to enjoy
both. Why would I ever choose?
“people come for an experience
and I am in a position to make sure they
have the best one possible.”
Currently our Daspletosaurus, a close relative
of Tyrannosaurus rex, is on loan to University of
Alberta researchers Lara Shychoski and Tetsuto
Miyashita. Their goal, by studying the specimen,
is to digitally reconstruct the Daspletosaurus
using CT (computed tomography technology
and recreate what the dinosaur looked like
75 million years ago when it roamed Alberta.
What is remarkable about this specimen, as
seen in the image to the right are the dental
features that which include wear patterns,
identifiable tooth growth, and tooth resorption
(where the tooth is decomposing).
Thanks to improving technologies combined
with the diligence of our collections staff, and
collaboration with other scientists, information
is continually gained from existing specimens
while still conserving Alberta’s heritage.
Daspletosaurus jaw
Daspletosaurus was first discovered in Alberta by fossil hunter Charles M. Sternberg in 1921.
in addition
in addition
Prehistoric Poster Contest ✺ Correction
Jean Huang, artist
“like chapters in a book…
they tell us about elements
that were deposited over
the course of more than
65 million years.”
Apologies are due to the winner of the 2008 Prehistoric Poster Contest, Jean Huang. In our
spring/summer issue of Tracks & Traces, we mistakenly inserted the wrong poster in place
of hers. We are thrilled to finally be able to show off her award-winning artwork.
Congratulations Jean!
Going Green ✺ The Meaning of Green work
Ask the Expert ✺ Dr. Dave Eberth
The Royal Tyrrell Museum is “Going Green” and received a designation from the Building Managers and Operators
Association of Canada to prove it. What does it mean to be green? So far, it means making small changes in the way
we do things in order to generate cost savings, energy savings, and planet savings.
What do the different coloured layers of the badlands represent?
To date, our green strategies include the installation of hands-free faucets in all of our washrooms, an overhaul of our
lighting systems in our collections storage area, a reduction of lighting fixtures throughout our public spaces, and
a major landscape revitalization project.
Slowly, but surely, we make thinking green part of everything we do. We recently formalized our very own Green
Team, a group of innovators who will fearlessly lead the charge as we move into an era of eco-responsibility. There
are many more green initiatives to come, and we’ll do our best to tell you a bit about our progress in each issue of our
recyclable Tracks & Traces.
Making a Difference ✺ Donors & Sponsors
• Devon Canada • EnCana Corporation • EOG Resources Canada Inc. • Golden Learning Centre • Imperial Oil Foundation • International
Foundation for Lifetime Education • M.E. Blasetti Professional Corporation • NEXEN • NHK Television • RBC Foundation • Riverside Value
Drug Mart • Scotia Bank • Dr. Jim Skinner & Ms. Judy Nichol • Sunlife • Shell Canada • Stewart Supplies (Penhold) Ltd. • Technation Electric
& Controls Ltd. • Tokyo Broadcasting System • W. Garfield Weston Foundation
From the Archives ✺ Extreme Hoodoo
Fossil hunter C.M. Sternberg captured this example of upside down
erosion while prospecting for dinosaurs north of Verdigris Coulee,
Alberta, in 1915. Close to Writing-On-Stone Provincial Park,
a sacred site of the First Nations peoples, these markings may have
been made by the North West Mounted Police in 1874 during the
March West.
The different coloured rock layers in the Drumheller badlands reflect
differences in environments (and therefore in sediments). They are like
chapters in a book and they tell us about elements that were deposited
over the course of more than 65 million years.
The lightest coloured layers are made up of sandstone, and represent
grains that were deposited in ancient river channels throughout this
area 73 million years ago. Most of the dinosaur remains from this
region are preserved in this layer.
The darker grey and brown layers are composed of silt and clay that
were deposited in environments like ancient floodplains, ponds, and
the deeper parts of the ocean floor. Some of the grey mudstones have
a popcorn texture—this is volcanic ash that settled across the landscape,
mixing with other muds.
The red-brown layers are also a form of mudstone, and they indicate
significant plant fragment content, deposited either during plant decay,
or from ancient groundwater.
The black layers are coal and carbonaceous shales. These were deposited
as thick layers of plant debris in stagnant oxygen-depleted swamps.
Over the course of a few million years, thick layers of plant material
were buried and cooked, resulting in sub-bituminous coal. This is the
deeply buried sandstone and coal that oil and gas companies look for
so that they can extract methane gas and oil.
Dr. Dave Eberth
The Red Deer River valley was formed by floodwaters from melting glaciers 10,000–15,00 years ago.
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
ATCO Group • Brad Belluk & Carolyn Vanmackelberg • The Calgary Foundation • Canadian Society of Petroleum Geologists • Ruth Deary
C.M. Sternberg photo, July 1915, Dept of Mines Geological Survey
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for fun
in addition
Gaffney Turtle Symposium ✺ Fall 2009
After hosting two successful scientific symposiums, the Royal Tyrrell Museum is ready to embark
again—this time with a focus on fossil turtles. From October 17 to 18, 2009, the Museum will host
the Gaffney Turtle Symposium.
Named in honour of Dr. Eugene Gaffney of the American Museum of Natural History, the
weekend will bring together palaeontologists and turtle enthusiasts from around the world
to share groundbreaking ideas, recent discoveries, and emerging theories. Promising to be one
of the premiere palaeontological events of the year, lectures and sessions will be capped off
by a special presentation by Dr. Gaffney himself.
For more information about the Gaffney Turtle Symposium visit www.tyrrellmuseum.com.
Mammoth Mystery!
Match the illustration to the
correct shadow.
Find all the flies!
Look closely! There are
flies flying around this issue
of Tracks and Traces.
1.
Can you find them all?
Scientific minds across the globe are preparing to spend
2009 in a celebratory mood, fêting the Father
of Evolution, Sir Charles Darwin. The year not
only marks the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s
birth, but also the 150th anniversary of his
most acclaimed publication, The Origin
of the Species. Never one to miss
a party, the Royal Tyrrell Museum
is busy planning a special exhibit to
commemorate Darwin’s anniversaries,
and more importantly, his career
contributions to palaeontology.
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Mark your calendars for spring
2009 and the opening of Darwin
200 at the Royal Tyrrell Museum.
prehistoric
arts
3.
contest
Calling all artists! Research, read, imagine, then
4.
CREATE an original prehistoric masterpiece! Cash
prizes, a grand prize draw, and the chance to display
your work at the Royal Tyrrell Museum for the whole world
to see. This is a contest you can’t afford to miss.
5.
Categories for grades K–6 are specifically themed, and there’s
a new OPEN CATEGORY for grades 7–12.
For more information visit www.tyrrellmuseum.com
and download the Prehistoric Arts Contest package.
Deadline is December 31, 2008, so don’t delay!
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
tracks @ traces * outreach edition
The exhibit, entitled Darwin 200,
is a celebration of Charles Darwin’s
theories of evolution and his
profound impact on the science of
palaeontology. We will explore how
his revolutionary ideas changed
scientific thinking 150 years ago,
and how they continue to impact
Royal Tyrrell Museum research today.
2.
Answers are hidden in this issue!
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Break out your fact-finding, web-browsing, dino-hunting
skills because we’re going on a scavenger hunt, Technosaurs
style! The prize? We’re giving away 100 free admission
bracelets to the Royal Tyrrell Museum in Drumheller!
Seek your own proof and find the
answers to the following clues below.
Everything you need can be found at
technosaurs.com.
Mosses are a common name for which
green plant that lacks vascular tissue?
The scientific name for
fossilized feces! (Ew, gross!)
This family of Cretaceous marine reptiles
were the fiercest predators.
The study of how an organism enters the
fossil record.
Another name for a “tank-like
armoured” dinosaur.
This pose is common in modern
birds and is evident in several
fossilized dinosaur remains.
The only site in the world where a
Pachyrhinosaurus bonebed has been found.
Figure out the 8-letter code word by using the
highlighted letters from your answers.
Then head to www.technosaurs.com/constests and enter
your answers and the secret code word for a chance to win
a prize pack! GOOD LUCK!
Contact us:
Toll-free in North America: 1.888.440.4240
Toll-free in Alberta: 310.0000 + 403.823.7707
For your free subscription, please email your name and mailing
address to [email protected]
For more information, visit our website at:
www.tyrrellmuseum.com