The petrified forest is located in the western part of Lesvos, which is a protected area. The forest is one of the two largest petrified forests in the world and is of great scientific importance. It covers an area of about ??150,000 sq.m. In this area there are several parks (park of Petrified Forest, of Plaka, of Sigri, of Nisiopi, of Chamandroula). Individual fossils have been found in other areas of Lesvos, too. The age of the petrified forest is defined in 20 million years. Some of the trees that have been found are ancestors of sequoias, pine, cypress, poplar, cinnamon, sycamore, oak, beech, walnut. There have been also identified many species of palm trees, as well as trees that no longer exist. There have been discovered several plant parts (fruits, leaves, branches) which are exhibited at the Natural History Museum of Lesvos.