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 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. 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
Recent workdays at the St. Paul’s property have brought together community partners and volunteers to make meaningful progress in restoring this important green space.
Since beginning our restoration efforts in March 2026, volunteers from Green Space Romeo, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Lake St. Clair CISMA have been working together to improve the health of the property and create space for native plants and wildlife.
Throughout spring and summer, volunteers removed a variety of invasive species, including honeysuckle, privet, bittersweet, garlic mustard, lesser celandine, Dame’s rocket, and lily of the valley. Crews have also cleared trails and cut back invasive growth that was overtaking trees and other areas of the property. With guidance and equipment from Lake St. Clair CISMA, volunteers have continued this work throughout the season to help manage invasive species and support the recovery of native habitat.
Along the way, community members have had opportunities to learn how to identify both native and invasive plants and better understand the ecological history of the property. The ongoing work is making a noticeable difference while creating opportunities for people to volunteer, learn, and connect with this valuable local green space.
Explore our St Paul’s Plant Identification Guide to learn more about the native plants found on the property.
Highlights from Past Workdays:
