Ancient forest found in Hungary Urgent measures are being taken to preserve the ancient treesThe ancient trees An ancient forest of cypress trees , estimated to be eight million years old , has been discovered in Hungary . Archaeologists found the 16 preserved trunks in an open cast coal mine in the north - eastern city of Bukkabrany . The specimens were preserved intact while most of the forest turned to coal thanks to a casing of sand , which was perhaps the result of a sandstorm . It is hoped the trees may offer experts a valuable insight into Earth ' s climate eight million years ago . The massive trunks are of a species known as swamp cypresses , which grew for 200 - 300 years . The BBC ' s Nick Thorpe in Budapest says the wood of the trees is still brown in photographs taken by the archaeologists , giving the impression that it has only just been split . The stumps , 2 - 3 m ( 10 ft ) in diameter and 6 m ( 19 ft ) high , stand uncovered on the lowest level of the mine . However , now that the protective material around them has been stripped there is a danger that the trunks could turn to dust before the scientists ' eyes . Urgent measures are being taken to preserve them after an attempt to move one of the trunks failed .