What's up, Forsyth?

What's up, Forsyth? It's time for another pollen blog post from a guest writer and expert with the Allergy and Asthma Center NC.  On the Lookout for Elm Pollen: An Elm Pollen Adventure Written by Anne Ambs, Allergy and Asthma Center of NC, Cone Health Medical Group Hi, I’m Anne, nurse practitioner at the Allergy and Asthma Center of NC ! As a nature enthusiast, I can be found hiking and exploring everything outside in North Carolina on most weekends. While soaking in Nature’s beauty this past weekend , I went on a short quest to find elm trees in the Pilot Mountain area , as elm pollen will soon make an appearance in the environment. W hile I did not spot any elm trees on my outdoor adventure this weekend , m y eyes and nose were itching to tell a different story, that they had , indeed , already arrived.   Elm trees belong to the Ulmus genus, and they live primarily in North America, Europe, and parts of Asia. Interestingly, elms can be found in every US state e...

What's Up, Forsyth? The Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection officially began our pollen monitoring and forecasting program for the 2025 season on February 10th. In addition to reading our daily report, which you can access by following us on Facebook and X , checking our website , or subscribing to emails and faxes, we are excited to provide more in-depth information through a series of pollen-focused blog posts. These short blogs will feature some of our "worst offenders" throughout the year and will be written by allergy specialists from the Allergy and Asthma Center of NC. We're kicking off the series with cedar, which are abundant this time of year.  Cedar Fever Written by Dr. Joel Gallagher, Allergy and Asthma Center of NC, Cone Health Medical Group Pollen season is traditionally thought of as occurring in the early spring – March into May – when the characteristic yellow plumes float through the air when we get a lovely breeze and ca...

What’s Up, Forsyth? We are excited to share with you a new initiative within the City of Winston-Salem and in Forsyth County that will protect pollinators, reduce water consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, and improve air quality in our communities! For the first time ever, we are participating in “No Mow March”—an adaptation of “No Mow May,” which began in the United Kingdom where the growing season starts later than in North Carolina. What is “No Mow March”? As the name suggests, Winston-Salem residents are encouraged to let their yards grow through March 31 and will not be cited for not mowing their lawns. However, to avoid fines, residents should resume compliance with the city code on high grass and weeds in April. Participants in No Mow March are encouraged to take the pledge on the City of Winston-Salem’s Sustainability webpage . Also, yard signs are available for purchase for only $14! These signs will help raise awareness of the initiative and increase adoption of ...

What’s Up, Forsyth? In this blog post, we explain how the air pollution and airborne pollen levels are changing seasonally. We also compare Forsyth County’s air quality and pollen season in 2024 with 2023 and share tips for reducing air pollution exposure this winter. How is our air quality changing this time of year? Ground-level ozone season (the period of time when we monitor and forecast for ozone) lasts from March 1 st to October 31 st . This is because sunlight and heat are needed for it to form. Between November 1 st and February 28 th /29 th , ozone concentrations are much lower since our days are shorter and colder, and it is not necessary, nor required by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), to monitor for ozone in North Carolina during this period. Particulate matter (PM) concentrations can be high any time of year, therefore, we monitor PM and provide the air quality forecast for fine particulate matter (PM2.5) year-round. PM levels are generally higher in win...