KCIT launches innovative app to support DNRP Park Rangers
King County IT’s GIS Center recently launched a new app for the Department of Natural Resources and Parks (DNRP) Park Ranger program, marking a significant advancement in how King County monitors and manages park incidents. Built exclusively for DNRP, this tool provides the first centralized system for tracking park rule violations and other incidents – data that will help improve park safety and enhance the visitor experience. The goal is simple yet powerful, to turn Rangers’ “boots on the ground” work into actionable insights for King County leadership. Using the app, Rangers… Read More
Airport levels up on carbon reduction goals
Crossposted from the DES Express King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) has taken another step forward in its journey toward becoming carbon neutral. Airports Council International (ACI) recently informed the airport that it has met the standards for Level 3 in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program (ACAP) by engaging airport tenants and users to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the airport helps King County residents, especially those who live and work nearby,” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. “Achieving Level 3 in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program… Read More
A unique salmon recovery partnership in King County has proven to be an effective model for collective impact
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes A unique partnership created 25 years ago in King County has so far reconnected 730 acres of floodplain, completed 719 salmon recovery projects, and planted nearly 1,500 acres of native vegetation in riparian areas. The partners recently signed a new agreement that will sustain the effort for at least the next decade. Read more.
Looking back on 2025, an unforgettable year for environmental stewardship
Crossposted from DNRP Field Notes Our best accomplishments – those that produce lasting, measurable results – are those we achieve with our partners. It’s a consistent theme you see throughout our top achievements in 2025. In our coordinated response to catastrophic flooding, wastewater infrastructure upgrades that improve salmon habitat, new trail segments in South King County and Redmond, community investments that reduce waste and cut greenhouse gas emissions, and hopeful signs for kokanee salmon recovery, you consistently see the power of collective action. We invite you to take a moment to check… Read More
King County International Airport levels up on carbon reduction goals
King County International Airport-Boeing Field (KCIA) has taken another step forward in its journey toward becoming carbon neutral. Airports Council International (ACI) recently informed the airport that it has met the standards for Level 3 in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program (ACAP) by engaging airport tenants and users to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the airport helps King County residents, especially those who live and work nearby,” said King County Executive Girmay Zahilay. “Achieving Level 3 in the Airport Carbon Accreditation Program shows that the airport is… Read More
The End of an Era
Crossposted from the Noxious Weeds blog 2025 has been a bittersweet year for the Noxious Weed Control Program. After long careers with the Program, both the Program Manager, Steve Burke, and County Lands and Regional Supervisor, Roy Brunskill, made the choice to retire. To reflect on their time with the program, and to celebrate their incredible achievements, this post will reflect back on how the Program has grown since its inception in 1997. The jump from six part-time staff with paper maps and an inkling of where weeds might be, to 22… Read More
Connecting salmon back to their habitat: The Fish Passage Restoration Program
Jyoti Karna, intern at the Performance and Strategy (PSB) team, recently interviewed Evan Lewis and Rose LeSmith on the Fish Passage Restoration Program. The story highlights the incredible work underway to reconnect salmon to historic habitat by removing barriers like culverts and stream crossings across unincorporated King County – and the role monitoring plays in turning a long-term vision into a coordinated, measurable program. Read the full story here. Take a moment to check out this story and explore others in the Monitoring in Action section to see how King County programs are turning data… Read More
Night shift: What mussels can teach us about Puget Sound pollution
Crossposted from Headwaters It’s cold and dark when we head to the beach. The mussels in the trunk have been on the road and on ice all day. This morning, ecotoxicologist and shellfish chauffeur Jennifer Lanksbury picked them up from a partner in Penn Cove and now we’re squeezed between two deadlines: these native bay mussels (Mytilus trossulus) can only be out of the water for 12 hours, and they must go back in at exactly the right moment. The mollusks are key players in the Mussel Watch program, a regional effort led… Read More
What keeps us going when the weeds keep growing
Crossposted from the Noxious Weeds Blog “What do you say when the [Noxious Weed] work feels futile?” This was a question that came to us earlier this season from Andrew Munson, a Noxious Weed coordinator over in San Juan County. It wasn’t a rhetorical question — he was genuinely wondering how other weed professionals handle the hard stuff: the Sisyphean [no end in sight] reputation of Noxious Weed control, the thankless days, the public skepticism, the physical toll, the moments that make you ask what’s the point? We felt it. Because we’ve… Read More
Fall vibes and… toxic algae?
Crossposted from Headwaters Oh, October. The crisp breeze hinting at cooler days to come. The stunning displays of fall foliage. The shifting, softening sunlight. If you love this time of year, you’re not alone: toxic algae do, too, and typically peak in our lakes this month! Fortunately, the Science Section has a team of lake scientists who work with other King County agencies and local communities to help keep people and pets safe from toxic algae. Together we monitor, test, and respond to algae incidents so everyone can enjoy our lakes safely all year long. Read… Read More
Employee News 