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Local students ask Mill Creek to pilot AI mapping of invasive plants in Mill Creek natural areas
Summary
Two local residents presented a prototype combining Sentinel‑2 satellite imagery, QGIS tools and an AI classifier to map likely patches of Japanese knotweed, Himalayan blackberry and other invasives in Mill Creek and asked the city to collaborate on field verification and volunteer engagement.
Two residents speaking during the audience‑comment portion of the Feb. 3 Mill Creek City Council meeting urged the city to collaborate on a pilot that would use satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to detect invasive vegetation in the Mill Creek urban growth area.
The presenters, identified in the record only as speakers 6 and 8, described a five‑step process that begins with acquiring free Sentinel‑2 imagery, converting images into analytic indicators in QGIS and Orfeo tools, training a machine‑learning model on known plant signatures, and producing probability maps that prioritize sites for field verification. They named partners involved in the project as Danny Kim and Aidan, and asked for city or parks‑board support for volunteer field checks.
"The system is not intended to replace currently existing field research or replace field staff or ecological experts, but rather it functions as an early‑warning system or prioritization tool," one presenter said, describing the project as a way to help city staff and volunteers focus limited survey resources.
Why it matters: knotweeds and Himalayan blackberry are highly aggressive and can spread along stream corridors, presenters said, naming Mill Creek and North Creek as corridors of concern. Early identification could help prioritize removal or containment work and inform staff and volunteer efforts.
Council response and next steps: Mayor Stephanie Vignal thanked the presenters and noted staff had collected their contact information; the mayor suggested the parks board might request a fuller presentation. Council members did not debate or vote on any action; instead staff said they would follow up with the presenters to arrange next steps.
The presenters provided basic technical detail during their three‑minute comments and stressed the prototype nature of the tool and the need for field verification and partnership with city staff before any operational deployment.
