What's up, Forsyth?

What’s Up, Forsyth? In our next two blog posts, we will discuss how ozone ( O₃)   affects plants and how studying certain “ozone sensitive” plants can inform us of local air quality issues. In this first blog, we will delve into the physiological effects of  O₃   exposure on plants and the subsequent ecosystem and economic effects. In our following blog, we will explain how “ozone gardens”—areas planted with species that physically show ozone damage on their leaves—can help raise air quality awareness in our communities. We will also highlight a recent partnership between Triad Air Awareness and the Paul J. Ciener Botanical Garden to plant Kernersville’s first public ozone garden . Let’s begin by defining ground-level ozone. What is Ground-Level Ozone? Stratospheric ozone, commonly called the ozone layer, is naturally occurring in the Earth’s upper atmosphere and protects us from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation. However, this same gas is an air pollutant ...

What's up, Forsyth??        Looking to learn more about our 2023 pollen season and pollen monitoring program in general? We have the blog for you!      The  Forsyth County Office of Environmental Assistance and Protection (FCOEAP) has been monitoring local pollen concentrations for over 25 years (since 1997), with each pollen monitoring season typically beginning in early to mid-February and concluding around late October. For 2023, the last day FCOEAP counted pollen this year was on October 31st, prior to an influx of colder air that brought a widespread freeze to the Triad which effectively ended the growing season.      Our daily pollen samples are collected with  a RotoRod Model 40 sampler (Figure 1), and then the samples are analyzed using a Leitz Wetzlar microscope (Figure 2). The area of the sample and the sampling time are fixed parameters, allowing us to calculate pollen concentrations based on the number of grains cou...