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American paleontology hobbyist here, seeking wisdom from those of you outside the USA regarding amateur paleontology culture elsewhere. Call me crazy. I'm seeking your stories to use in a planned talk in a session advocating for amateur/hobbyist contributions to paleontology, at the North American Paleontological Convention in June. Which stories? Well, the ones that offer better ways that amateur/hobbyist paleontology can interface with professionals, academics, corporations, and governments. I want to hear about the ways in which differences in cultural or historical or legal framework in different countries have led to different/better relationships with amateur/hobbyist paleontology than we have in the USA. For example: How do municipalities, corporations, and universities regard their role in actively or passively facilitating access/opportunity/education for amateurs/hobbyists? How do states and universities regard hobbyist societies as knowledgeable partners in which to invest trust when it comes to approving outcrop access, amateur grants, etc.? What is the funding mechanism for efforts to keep fossil exposures fresh at designated fossil parks? Is there an amateur paleontology stewardship certification offered by the state, by the municipality, by the national society, by the local museum or university, or by individual quarries that lends meaningful weight when it comes to approving outcrop access, amateur grants, etc.? If you have some interesting answers—especially anecdotal answers—to these and related questions, I'd love to catch up with you for 20 minutes to discuss. Your responses are what will open up possibilities for fossil collectors here in the USA and elsewhere. Let's talk. To start the conversation, send me a DM. Or if you prefer to just leave your thoughts below, that's fine too. Thanks.

hi how would I go about going on trips or meeting people in my general area that like fossils I want to get in the field as soon as possible but I'm not exactly a paleontologist yet however I really like the idea of meeting friends and going on trips together i am in collage at the moment just not one that offers geology courses

I just started learning how to fossil hunt last summer, and had been looking at some Ordivicean roads cuts kinda near me (Rice and Goodhue counties in MN). Looking through county highway roadcuts, I immediately came across alot of brachiopods and bryozoan bits. In one spot on 52, I did find a few gastropods (snails). My best one might even have evidence of a pathology (why it died). It seems like there is a drill hole in the shell What I considered my luckiest find was this Bryzoan sponge. There was ZERO prep involved in this. I just found it on the hill side This year I started getting the itch again, and on a sunny 40 degree day in March (I want even that weather to come back again!) I was over in Goodhue and by chance discovered a newish road cut. Probably in the last 10 years? My goal for this year was to finally find a trilobyte, with a wish for maybe a cephalopod. Well, God smiled that day. Up the hill side on a ledge about 4 ft high this was just sitting in the sun looking at me: Acheivement unlocked! All I had to do was pick it up. Then at the top of the slope I might've used up all my luck for the year at once and started finding cephalopod parts! Plus additional ones too. They were also washing down in the hill in 2 locations. I also found some inverted ones, where they were hollow instead. There is one of those two: So this has been quite eye opening. I grew up in MN hearing that we had no fossils but a few shark teeth. While true that we mostly lack mesozoic rocks, theres always something (shakes fist at glacial till). A suprising thing also happened mentally. After finding so many brachiopod bits, I started going "meh, more little shells". I'm hoping to get to NW nebraska this weekend (maybe dawes and souix counties). I've been using http://donaldkenney.x10.mx/STATES/NE.HTM and the MN counter part to get ideas of where to look. Wish me luck.

Hi all! Last year we visited the spanish dinosaurs and other biota exhibition at the Museum of Science. All the fossils displayed where found in Valencia area (Spain) and belong to Late Jurassic and Cretaceous (mainly Barremian age). Spain has yielded a very large lower cretaceous dinosaur fauna very similar to those of the UK. Enjoy...

Hi guys. I'm Nick, and after being a sort of lurker on this site for a few years, I finally wanted to be involved. I'm always looking for a dig site within a day trip of NYC.

Here are a few bits that I have found local to me, there is loads of fossil bearing rock and it produces some nice pieces. I will put a photo up at a later date of a large plant fossil that was found here. The strata is Carboniferous in age and is accessible via a stream cutting. I have also found a nice piece of brach with the leaf scars. thanks Alex

Hello, Hope i'm posting in the right area. Florida native here, been scavenging for fossils most of my life either with family or alone. Would like to venture farther in the water snorkeling, or around the peace river. Though it's always best to have one or two others with you. Safety is always important. =) Just wondering if any locals in Sarasota, Nokomis, Venice, North Port, and Engelwood areas would like to meet up on a weekend day and look together. I'm not the type that hunts for profit, I'm very proud in cherishing my finds to pass on when i'm older. Thanks! -Zack