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Submerged forests are drowned woodlands preserved beneath water or in waterlogged coastal deposits; “underwater forests” can also mean living marine habitats such as kelp, seagrass, and mangroves. The research available for this article verifies several examples, not twelve individually documented sites, so the guide below focuses on those examples and explains the broader habitat categories without padding the list.
These places preserve different things: tree stumps and peat, archaeological traces, or living underwater habitat. “Sunken forest” is not enough to establish that a site is literally underwater, and drowned wood is not necessarily fossilized.
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What counts as a submerged or underwater forest?
A drowned terrestrial woodland is a former land forest inundated as shorelines, water tables, or local conditions changed. Waterlogged, oxygen-poor deposits can slow decay and preserve trunks, peat, seeds, and pollen, giving researchers evidence for past environments. A living underwater forest, by contrast, may be a dense habitat of kelp, seagrass, or mangroves.
UNESCO uses “underwater forests” broadly for several living habitats, including giant kelp forests, Posidonia seagrass meadows, and mangroves. It also includes Antarctic sponge fields in its broader framing; sponge fields are animal communities, not forests of trees or plants.
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Documented submerged forests and underwater habitats
| Example | What “forest” means here | How it formed or survives | Evidence or context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama, northern Gulf of Mexico | Submerged cypress woodland remains | Submergence, storm activity, and sea-level changes are associated with the woodland’s history | University of Idaho reports a 489-year tree-ring chronology developed from the wood |
| Pett Level, East Sussex, England | Intertidal peat and woodland remains | Former woodland is exposed in the coastal intertidal zone | Historic England reports woodland dating from at least 4,400 BC to 1,500 BC and more than two hundred exposed tree remains recorded in the studied area |
| Borth and Ynyslas, Wales | Submerged forest remains and archaeological traces | Rising local water tables drowned trees and contributed to Borth Bog’s formation | Reported remains include peat, footprints, post holes, and a wattle walkway; some dating is by association |
| Currituck Banks, North Carolina, United States | Submerged remains of maritime-forest trees | Changing barrier-island shorelines left former forest trees underwater | NOAA reports stumps visible along the sandy beach |
| California and South Africa | Living giant-kelp forests | Natural marine growth | Named in UNESCO’s 2025 overview of underwater forests |
| Mediterranean Sea | Living Posidonia seagrass meadows | Natural marine growth | Named in UNESCO’s 2025 overview of underwater forests |
| Indian Ocean | Living mangrove habitat | Coastal trees adapted to marine and tidal conditions | Named in UNESCO’s 2025 overview of underwater forests |
Submerged woodland: what the evidence shows
Alabama’s cypress remains
Off Alabama’s coast in the northern Gulf of Mexico, submerged cypress trees preserve evidence of a former woodland. The University of Idaho reports that researchers developed a 489-year tree-ring chronology from the forest wood. Its account associates the trees’ growth and sudden mortality with submergence, storm activity, and sea-level changes related to melting glaciers; the chronology alone should not be treated as proof of every detail of that sequence.
Pett Level, England
At Pett Level in East Sussex, exposed intertidal peat contains woodland remains. Historic England reports that the woodland was present from at least 4,400 BC to 1,500 BC and records more than two hundred exposed tree remains in the studied area. Identified species include alder, ash, oak, willow, birch, yew, and hazel.
These waterlogged remains should not automatically be called “petrified.” Historic England explains that such intertidal remains are not necessarily fossilized. They are also vulnerable to erosion, and the exposed intertidal zone can be hazardous.
Borth and Ynyslas, Wales
At Borth and Ynyslas, erosion can expose submerged forest remains alongside peat and archaeological features such as footprints, post holes, and a wattle walkway. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales describes a forest flourishing around 5,000–4,500 BP and says rising local water tables later drowned trees and began the formation of Borth Bog.
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Currituck Banks, North Carolina
NOAA describes submerged remains of maritime-forest trees at Currituck Banks. As barrier-island shorelines moved, former forest trees were left underwater; stumps can be seen along the sandy beach. This is a changing-coast example, not necessarily a permanently accessible underwater dive site.
Living underwater forests
Living underwater habitats belong in the broader discussion, but they are not drowned terrestrial woodlands. UNESCO’s 2025 overview names giant kelp forests in California and South Africa, Posidonia seagrass meadows in the Mediterranean, and mangroves in the Indian Ocean. These examples differ in organisms and setting, even though each can form dense habitat.
UNESCO says underwater ecosystems can store up to five times as much carbon as tropical forests of equal area. That is a broad claim about underwater ecosystems, not a figure that should be applied equally to every habitat or drowned-woodland site in this article.
Places often confused with underwater forests
Fire Island’s Sunken Forest
Fire Island’s “Sunken Forest” in New York is a maritime holly forest sheltered behind dunes, not an underwater forest. The National Park Service says the forest’s succession to its present climax stage most likely took about 300 years. Ferry arrangements are time-sensitive, so check the National Park Service for current visitor information.
The Petrified Forest of Lesvos
The Petrified Forest of Lesvos in Greece is a fossil forest formed when volcanic material buried trees that fossilized in place. UNESCO’s account supports describing it as a petrified forest, not as an underwater forest.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why are submerged forests important?
Drowned woodlands are records of past shorelines and landscapes. Preserved trunks, peat, seeds, pollen, and archaeological traces can help researchers reconstruct past environments and human activity. EMODnet’s 2019 map inventory records more than 10,000 submerged-landscape features in 26 classes; that is a count of mapped features, not a count of forests.
Living underwater habitats matter for a different reason: kelp, seagrass, and mangroves support marine and coastal ecosystems. Keeping these meanings distinct helps readers understand whether a place contains remains of a former land forest or a living habitat beneath the water.
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Some remains are exposed in intertidal areas, but conditions and access vary. Historic England warns that intertidal deposits at Pett Level face erosion and may be hazardous; check tide times and seek local advice before visiting. For Borth and other coastal sites, check current local safety and access guidance rather than assuming remains will be exposed.
For sites such as Fire Island’s Sunken Forest, consult the National Park Service for current arrangements. Do not assume that a place described as “sunken” is underwater or that it is accessible for diving.
FAQ
What are submerged forests?
They are former terrestrial woodlands inundated by water or preserved in waterlogged coastal deposits. Their remains can include tree trunks, stumps, and peat.
Are underwater forests always made of trees?
No. The phrase can also describe living habitats such as kelp forests, seagrass meadows, and mangroves. UNESCO also uses the broader framing for Antarctic sponge fields, which are animal communities rather than plant forests.
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Are drowned tree remains petrified?
Not necessarily. Historic England notes that waterlogged intertidal woodland remains are not necessarily fossilized, so “petrified” should be used only when fossilization is supported.
Where can you see underwater forest remains?
Documented examples include exposed intertidal remains at Pett Level and Borth and Ynyslas, and stumps associated with former maritime forest at Currituck Banks. Exposure, access, tide, and safety conditions vary; check local guidance before visiting.
Is Fire Island’s Sunken Forest underwater?
No. The National Park Service describes it as a maritime holly forest behind dunes. “Sunken” refers to its position in the dune landscape, not to being submerged.
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