WHo is behinD POllen Lennoxville?

Dr. Levac teaches in the department of Environment and Geography at Bishop's University. She has been monitoring biogenic aerosols (pollen and spores) in Sherbrooke since 2006. She is now conducting research into the health impacts of airborne pollen and air pollution. Ongoing work examines changes in the length of the ragweed allergy season.
https://www.ubishops.ca/academic-programs/faculty-of-arts-and-science/social-sciences/environment-and-geography/faculty/

Trees have flowers too....

Red maple flowers, April 2012

Red maple in full bloom, Sherbrooke April 2012

Why monitor pollen and spores?

For individuals affected by seasonal allergic rhinitis (also called hay fever), pollen forecasts can be used to self-identify which pollen types they are allergic to, and to reduce exposure to those pollen types. The data collected is used to update the pollen calendar and improve pollen forecasting (scroll to bottom of this page).

This pollen calendar shows when the main airborne pollen producers are pollinating.  It is based on data collected at Bishop’s University and at the Université de Sherbrooke. The beginning and the end of pollen season for each plant or tree can vary from year to year with climatic conditions (grey shaded areas). 
 
Référence: Levac, E., Stretch, V., Sandercombe, S., Ashley, A., 2011. A pollen calendar for the main allergenic pollen types in the borough of Lennoxville (Sherbrooke), Quebec. Journal of Eastern Townships Studies, vol. 37, pages 43-62.

Acknowledgments

This project benefited in the past from the financial support of the Senate Research Committee and from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Bishop's University, and from the Eastern Townships Research Centre. We also acknowledge the help from Dr. Lorne Nelson and staff at Bishop's University, Université de Sherbrooke, Musée de la Nature et des Sciences and Lennoxville Experimental Farm for granting access to roofs to deploy the instrument.