St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has been a part of the Romeo community since 1912 and has occupied its current location on West St. Clair Street since 1964. The church property includes more than 11 acres of open land, woodlot, gardens, and walking paths that provide valuable green space and wildlife habitat within the Village limits. This land has been lovingly cared for by congregation members for decades and continues to support both reflection and recreation.
To ensure the long-term health of this property, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church has welcomed Green Space Romeo and the Lake St. Clair Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) as stewardship partners. The goal of this collaboration is to restore and protect the land as a thriving native ecosystem while honoring its role as a place of peace and connection.
Like many natural areas, the property is experiencing increasing pressure from invasive plant species that threaten tree health and reduce native biodiversity. Through this partnership, professional expertise and volunteer support will be brought together to address these challenges in a thoughtful and environmentally responsible way.
Project Plan
The initial phase of the project will focus on developing a long-term stewardship plan and beginning hands-on restoration to reduce invasive species. Community workdays will be coordinated in this first phase. Planned activities include:
- Removal of invasive woody plants that are impacting existing trees and native plants
- Hand removal of invasive herbaceous plants later in the spring
Future phases, including additional workdays and habitat restoration goals, will be shaped collaboratively by St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Green Space Romeo, and the Lake St. Clair CISMA as the stewardship plan develops.
This project represents an investment in the long-term health of an important community green space, ensuring it remains a welcoming and resilient landscape for generations to come.
