Lesvos Petrified Forest The Lesvos Petrified Forest is a rare petrified forest ecosystem that includes large concentrations of petrified trees and animal fossils that were covered by volcanic material and fossilized in place 18 million years ago. Within layers of volcanic ash are revealed standing and lying fossilized trunks, branches, roots, fruits and leaves of trees as well as fossilized animal bones and teeth. Important fossil-bearing areas are also found in the coastal zone and in the marine area west of Lesvos. In the area of the Petrified Forest you can also find impressive volcanic geosites, which bear witness to the intense volcanic activity in the past. It could be characterized as a window into the geohistorical evolution of the Aegean region over the last 20 million years. By Presidential Decree (PD 443/1985) the Petrified Forest was declared a conservation monument of nature. The Petrified Forest area was a founding member of the European Geoparks Network in 2000. In 2004, it joined the UNESCO World Geoparks Network. Visitor parks have been created in areas with large concentrations of petrified trees. Every small or large section of petrified log in the Petrified Forest area is protected by the Act. It is strictly forbidden to detach, remove or damage the fossils. Violators are punished in accordance with Law 1650/86, ND 996/71 and the police provisions of the Lesvos Forestry Directorate.