Sawbridgeworth Citizen Science Lichen Investigation into Air Quality.
On Saturday 13th of November 2021 a small group of Citizen Scientists visited the Rivers Orchard area site to survey lichens as indicators of air quality. Small oak trees with horizontal branches were chosen and lichens identified using the Field Studies Council publications. A bleach test was carried out to help with some of the identifications. All the trees had a quite remarkable lichen flora, in some cases there with six species present on one branch. All the lichens identified are Nitrogen Dioxide and Acid tolerant which tells us that the air quality in the is area is quite low. Pictures from GL.