Report Noxious Weeds To King County With New App

WOODINVILLE, WA — You've heard of SWAT teams. Now King County has its own WHACK team.

The county has released a new feature for the King County Connect smartphone app that will allow local residents to report noxious, invasive weeds. Once reported, a team of specialists will be sent to whack the weed in question if need be.

Here's more from King County:

The new feature – developed with Microsoft and Slalom Consulting – sends the photo and location to a team of specialists who will determine if it is a noxious weed that needs to be eradicated and what action to take. The team will coordinate other county employees and partners to remove the noxious weeds, typically within a few days after receiving the tip.

Noxious weeds are no joke. Some invasive weeds crowd-out native plants, degrading the ecosystem. Other noxious weeds can be harmful or even deadly to pets, humans, and other animals. For example, the sap of the giant hogweed plant can cause severe burns that worsen when exposed to sunlight.

King County runs a dedicated Noxious Weed Control Program to eradicate the harmful plants. You can find pictures of known noxious weeds in the area at this link. The King County Connect app is available on Google Play or in the Apple app store.