At the opening of the Permian Period, Nova Scotia occupied a central position on the Pangean supercontinent, at about 15 degrees north palaeolatitude.

Rocks of Nova Scotia

From the Middle Devonian on, this area (including the continental shelf) was above sea level and underwent extensive erosion. The exposed rocks became oxidised and were eroded to form red sands and muds that were deposited in a low basinal area covering what is now the Northumberland Strait, Prince Edward Island and the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Permian sediments were subsequently eroded away and thus are largely absent from the stratigraphic record of Nova Scotia.

The Permian Period was quiet tectonically, with only erosion of pre-existing rocks occurring.

Paleoenvironment

The fossil trackways and Walchia forest at Brule provide us with a virtual snapshot of life in the Permian Period. Amphibians, reptiles and mammal-like reptiles meandered through dense forests of towering conifers, leaving their footprints in the silty mud of the forest floor.

Nova Scotia's position near the equator resulted in a hot, dry climate punctuated by seasonal monsoon rainfalls. Fossil evidence also indicates that this location was dominated by persistent easterly trade winds.