Overview
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
- Targeted grazing using goats to naturally and efficiently clear invasive vegetation
- 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.
This project represents an investment in the long-term health of an important community green space. By incorporating sustainable practices like goat grazing alongside community-led restoration, the initiative supports a more natural recovery process—ensuring the landscape remains welcoming, resilient, and ecologically vibrant for generations to come.
Get Involved
A productive and rewarding workday brought together Lake St. Clair CISMA, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Green Space Romeo for a great collaborative effort on March 21st!
With a team of 15 dedicated volunteers, we worked hard to clear invasive shrubs and vines—including honeysuckle, privet, and bittersweet—from the St. Paul’s property, helping restore and protect the health of this important green space. This is just the beginning of an ongoing effort to improve the habitat and support native species.
It was a fantastic start, and we’re excited to keep the momentum going! Join us again on April 18th from 10 am to noon as we continue invasive shrub and vine removal. Every bit of help makes a difference!
To see the event details, click the below link.
