Felpham SSSI facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
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| Area of Search | West Sussex |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 1.0 hectare (2.5 acres) |
| Notification | 1988 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Felpham SSSI is a special place near Bognor Regis in West Sussex, England. It's a small area, about the size of a football field (1 hectare), that's super important for understanding Earth's history. Scientists call it a "Site of Special Scientific Interest" (SSSI) because of the amazing fossils found there.
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What Makes Felpham SSSI Special?
This short part of the coastline is one of only three spots in Britain where you can find plant fossils from a time called the Paleocene epoch. This period began about 66 million years ago. It was right after a huge event called the Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event, which is when the dinosaurs disappeared.
Ancient Plants and New Discoveries
The fossils at Felpham SSSI tell us a lot about what plants were like millions of years ago. Scientists have found some truly unique things here. They've discovered four types of plants (called genera) that were completely new to science. Even more exciting, they've identified sixteen new species of plants that no one knew existed before!
Why are these fossils important?
These fossils help us understand how life on Earth recovered after the big extinction event. They show us what kind of plants grew in this area long, long ago. It's like finding clues to a giant puzzle about Earth's past environments and living things.
Visiting Felpham SSSI
The beach at Felpham is open to everyone. You can visit and enjoy the coastline, knowing you're walking on a place with such an incredible ancient history.
