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FBY NEWSLETTERDecember 2006

“FOUR BILLION YEARS AND COUNTING:CANADA’S GEOLOGICAL HERITAGE”

A community project to produce a popular book on thegeology of Canada

Progress ReportAlthough there has been no general circular for a while about the

project, this is because things have been happening — not because ofstagnation on the part of the Editorial Board. In August, we wereaccepted as a primary Canadian endeavour for International Year ofPlanet Earth (IYPE), which is focused on 2008. This “official blessing”makes it easier for government organizations such as Natural ResourcesCanada to allow employees to spend time on the project. And we canraise funds under the IYPE banner. But we’ve had to move our projectedpublication date up to August 2008 (originally we were thinking 2009).

With the impetus injected by IYPE acceptance, and with supportfrom Natural Resources Canada, members of the Editorial Board havebeen traveling around the country this fall discussing the project withcontributors and others, generally explaining what we are trying toachieve (see a description of the Project elsewhere in this Newsletter). At

meetings in Vancouver, Calgary, Ottawa, Waterloo, Fredericton, Dartmouth, St. John’s andWolfville, we’ve been encouraged by support and enthusiasm from practically everyone thatwe’ve met with. We managed to meet with most chapter/regional coordinators, thoughregretfully we missed a few; we’ll try to remedy that, but hope that this newsletter will help toprovide an update. We would also like to acknowledge additional support and encouragement sofar from the Geological Association of Canada, the Canadian Geological Foundation and ParksCanada.

At present, we are using the title “Four Billion Years and Counting: Canada’s GeologicalHeritage. This is not necessarily going to be the final title, but it is more memorable and“sellable” than the mundane “Geology of Canada”.

First drafts are due by the end of February, and then we on the Editorial Board have a busyspring and summer working with contributors to make the book into a continuous narrative. Atthat time too, we’ll be matching graphics and photographs with the text (again of course in fullcollaboration with the contributors). We have a suite of gorgeous images but are still solicitingmore — we need the very best available. A major coup has been to gain the support of ParksCanada, so we can select from their excellent collection.

We now have a strategy for producing the French edition of the book, more about which willappear in the next Newsletter (we hope January 2007). Although the current project is focussedon the production of a benchmark book on the geology of Canada, in the process we will collectand generate a wealth of materials that could be readily converted to material for the web; this is

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an aspect that we will be considering more seriously as the project progresses.We are still looking for reviewers, especially non-geologists/educators. So if you are, or

know of, an enthusiast who would be willing to help us out in this way — over a six weekinterval in December-January 2007/2008 — please let one of us on the Editorial Board know.

Again, the Editorial Board would like to thank everyone who is involved in, has contributedto, or has shown interest in the project so far. With best wishes for the holiday season andbeyond.

Aïcha Achab, John Clague, David Corrigan, Rob Fensome,Jim Monger, Godfrey Nowlan and Graham Williams

(IYPE logo courtesy of the International Union of Geological Sciences)________________________ . . . ________________________

Original paintings will serve as an important “hook” to captivate our audience. This paintingby New Brunswick artist Judi Pennanen shows a Jurassic scene from the Fundy Basin, MaritimeCanada. In the earliest Jurassic, volcanism associated with the break up of Pangea and birth ofthe Atlantic , extended from Brazil to southern Europe and Gand Manan Island of NewBrunswick to Morocco (all much closer then of course). Check out the photo on page 3. ©Atlantic Geoscience Society.

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Brief description of the book

“Four Billion Years and Counting” (FBY) will be a grassroots-generated, multi-authoredbook, with content on:– Earth systems (the rock cycle, geological time, plate tectonics, life and changing environmentsthrough time) from a Canadian perspective and using Canadian examples.– the evolution of the Canadian landmass and its life forms, within a global context, from fourbillion years ago to today, highlighting scenes both familiar (Peggys Cove, Rocher Percé,Niagara Falls, Kananaskis) and unfamiliar.– natural resources (e.g. oil and natural gas, coal, minerals and aggregates), which have played amajor role in shaping the country and driving its economy.– geologically related social issues such as water supply, health (radon gas, asbestos, etc.),climate change and hazards (e.g. earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and landslides).

FBY will be written with the interested non-specialist in mind. It will provide the latest wordon Canada’s fascinating geology to a motivated audience of non-geologists including decisionmakers and educators. It will also broaden geological understanding among geologists outsidetheir specialty. “Hooks” to reach readers will include an exquisite selection of photographs anduniformly designed graphics; the text will be written by leading experts, and will be reviewed byspecialists and non-geologists.

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Dormant cinder cone, 150 m high, on a shieldvolcano in the British Columbia interior. ©Carol Evenchick.

The Triassic-Jurassic boundary (in white layer),Five Islands Provincial Park, Nova Scotia. Tothe left, and at the top of the distant cliffs, is theNorth Mountain Basalt, the result of an earlyJurassic mantle “belch”. © Wayne Garland.

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The project’s people (so far)Apologies to anyone inadvertently missed, or to anyone surprised to be listed : please bring

corrections to the attention of Rob Fensome (rfensome@nrcan.gc.ca),who is happy to take the blame

Editorial BoardAicha Achab (Quebec City), John Clague (Vancouver), David Corrigan (Ottawa), Rob Fensome(Dartmouth), Jim Monger (Vancouver), Godfrey Nowlan (Calgary) and Graham Williams(Dartmouth).

Publication CommitteeSandra Barr, Jennifer Bates, Pascale Côté, Rob Fensome and Godfrey Nowlan.

French Edition CoordinatorAïcha Achab

Text Coordinators* and Contributors (so far)Aïcha Achab, Alwynne Beaudoin*, Sandra Barr, Wouter Bleeker*, Doug Boyce, John Calder,John Clague*, David Corrigan*, Sonya Dehler*, Keith Dewing, Lynda Dredge*, Dave Eberth*,Dixon Edwards*, Carol Evenchick, Nick Eyles*, Rob Fensome, Martin Fowler*, MartinGibling*, Wayne Goodfellow*, Steve Grasby, Fran Haidl*, Chris Harrison*, Cathie Hickson,Phil Hill*, Andrew Hynes, Charlie Jefferson, Ian Knight, Denis Lavoie*, Andrew Miall*, JimMonger*, Alan Morgan*, Brendan Murphy*, Peter Mustard, Guy Narbonne, JoAnne Nelson,Godfrey Nowlan*, Andy Okulitch*, John Percival, Ray Price*, Robin Rainbird, Pat Rasmussen*,Cindy Riediger, Bruce Ryan, Osman Salad Hersi, Bruce Sanford, Chris Scotese, John Storer*,Harvey Thorleifson*, Cees van Staal, Hans Wielens, Graham Williams*, John-Paul Zonneveld

Fund-raising CommitteeAïcha Achab, Peter Bobrowsky, Peter Dimmell,Mike Enachescu, Linda Ham, Dave Lenz, GrantWach and Graham Williams.

Tightly folded Jurassic sedimentary rocks,Muskaboo Creek area, Bowser Basin,northern British Columbia. © CarolEvenchick. >>>

Graphics CommitteeJohn Clague, Richard Franklin, Bill MacMillan and Graham Williams.

Paleogeographic Reconstruction CoordinatorsJim Monger, Cees van Staal

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Icemaker Glacial, southern Coast Mountainsof British Columbia. © John Clague. >>>

Photographic CoordinatorRob Fensome

Photographic Contributors (so far: others havepromised)Sandra Barr, Jennifer Bates, Alwynne Beaudoin,Ruth Bezys, Doug Boyce, John Calder, Joyce S.K.Chew, John Clague, Ron Clowes, LouiseCorriveau, Pascale Côté, Sylvain Desbiens, ElioDolente, Howard Donohoe, Martin Douma, DaveEberth, Carol Evenchick, Nick Eyles, RobFensome, Martin Fowler, Les Fyffe, Wayne Garland, Martin Gibling, Philip Giles, BobGrantham, Phil Hammer, Chris Harrison, Charles Henderson, Phil Hill, Rob Hingston, HansHofmann, Fenton Isenor, Lubomir Jansa, Denis Lavoie, Ted Little, Bill MacMillan, AndrewMacRae, Gwen Martin, Krista McCuish, Margot McMechan, David Mercer, Andrew Miall, YvesMichaud, Jim Monger, Alan Morgan, Grant Mossop, Peter Mustard, Guy Narbonne, GodfreyNowlan, Paul Olsen, Jerry Osborn, Mike Parkhill, Ron Pickerill, Patrick Potter, Rob Raeside, PatRasmussen, Cindy Riediger, André Rochon, Bruce Ryan, Allen Seaman, Ian Spooner, RalphStea, Glen Stockmal, Bob Taylor, Gilbert van Ryckevorsel, Keith Vaughan, John Waldron, JohnWilliam Webb, Heinz Wiele, Reg Wilson, Graham Young and Chris Yorath

Provincial Contacts (so far)Les Fyffe (New Brunswick), David Liverman (Newfoundland), Chris White (Nova Scotia).

Geologist ReviewersSandy McCracken, Ray Price, Christy Vodden and others TBA

Educational/Non-Geological Reviewers (so far)Larry Bogdan, Pat Dennis, Dave Frobel, HeatherJohnson, Christine Kulyk, Jane Londero, MurrayMetherall, Johanne Ranger, Bev Ross, SophieSliwa, Jeannette Wielens, Erica Williams

Lateral facies change in Carboniferous rockson northern Ellesmere Island: slopecarbonates to right change to shale to left. ©Chris Harrison. >>>

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Structure of the book(All titles are provisional: although the Editorial Board will have the final say, suggestions —

both in French and English — would be appreciated)

PART 1: INTRODUCTIONChapter 1 – Introduction

PART 2: FOUNDATIONSChapter 2 – On the rocksChapter 3 – The fourth dimensionChapter 4 – Dance of the continentsChapter 5 – Fossils and the Tree of LifeChapter 6 – Reading the rocks

PART 3: THE EVOLUTION OF CANADA Chapter 7 – Into deepest time [4.600 - 2500 Ma]Chapter 8 – Finishing the foundations [2500 -

1800/1000 Ma]Chapter 9 – Breathing space [1800/1000 - 600 Ma]Chapter 10 – Passive west, active east [600 - 390 Ma]Chapter 11 – Welding a supercontinent [390 - 250 Ma]Chapter 12 – Pangaea breaks up [250 - 185 Ma]Chapter 13 – Building mountains [185 - 55 Ma]Chapter 14 – Canada shapes up [55 - 2 Ma]Chapter 15 – Deep freeze and long summerChapter 16 – Peopling CanadaChapter 17 – The modern landscape

PART 4: WEALTH AND HEALTHChapter 18 – Rocks to richesChapter 19 – Energizing CanadaChapter 20 – Building CanadaChapter 21 – Water: a clear necessityChapter 22 – At the beachChapter 23 – On dangerous groundChapter 24 – Environmental impactsChapter 25 – Nothing to sneeze atChapter 26 – Blowing hot and cold

PART 5: FINAL REFLECTIONSChapter 27: Canada’s past: the key to its future?

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There will be boxes on selected topics not otherwiseadequately covered. An example might be meteoritecraters.

Folded Paleozoic strata of the RockyMountains at Kananaskis, Alberta. ©John Clague.

Essentially vertical Early Devonianstrata form the Gaspé’s most famouslandmark, Rocher Percé

Aerial view of Niagara Falls. © AlanMorgan.

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Timetable(indicating items completed (green) and those at red, orange and yellow “alert” stages).

2005 May – special session at Halifax 2005.2006 Spring – mock-up and framework complete.2006 August – accepted as IYPE project.2007 end February – first drafts due.2007 March-September – iterations between editors and contributors to produce draft forreviews.2007 end September – submission to specialist contributing reviewers. (French edition: 15November)2007 end October – specialist reviews complete and received by editors. (French edition 15December)2007 end November – submission to non-geologist contributing reviewers. (French edition: 15January)2008 mid January – non-geologist reviews complete and submitted to editors. (French editionend February)2008 end February – submission to designer. (French edition: end March)2008 end June – manuscript to printer. (French edition: end July)2008 end August – release.

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Faulted late Triassic playa, lake and sand flatdeposits, Five Islands Provincial Park, NovaScotia.

Cretaceous dyke cutting Early Cambriansandstones and Carboniferous red beds, northernEllesmere Island, Nunavut. © ChristopherHarrison.

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Atractive, standardized graphicswill be another attraction of thebook, we hope. © AtlanticGeoscience Society.

We plan to include reconstructionslike this one, possibly for every 50million years. Modified fromPaleomap, courtesy Chris Scotese.

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WE NEED YOU !!

We need photographs to add to our “smorgasbord” of possibleimages

We need non-geologists or pre-university level educators asreviewers for (parts of) the text

For more information on the project, to volunteer photographsor to become involved in the review process, contact:

Rob Fensome rfensome@nrcan.gc.caAïcha Achab aicha_achab@ete.inrs.caJohn Clague jclague@sfu.caDavid Corrigan dcorriga@nrcan.gc.caJim Monger jimonger@nrcan.gc.caGodfrey Nowlan gnowlan@nrcan.gc.caGraham Williams grwillia@nrcan.gc.ca

© Rob Fensome.