More before and after photos of Julie Hinton’s and Pamela Vittorio’s efforts to save family gravestones from ongoing destruction from lichen. These photos were taken by Julie at the North Watertown Cemetery in Watertown, New York.
What is lichen?
Lichen (pronounced liken) is a simple slow-growing plant that typically forms a low crustlike, leaflike, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and trees. Lichens are composite plants consisting of a fungus that contains photosynthetic algal cells. Their classification is based upon that of the fungal partner, which in most cases belongs to the subdivision Ascomycotina, and the algal partners are either green algae or cyanobacteria. Lichens obtain their water and nutrients from the atmosphere and can be sensitive indicators of atmospheric pollution.
North Watertown Cemetery
Florence M Peer (before cleaning)
Florence M Peer (after cleaning)
Reuben Peer Jr. (before cleaning)
Reuben Peer Jr. (after cleaning)
