St Joseph County Conservation District

This watershed management plan, completed in June 2005, aims to foster collaborative action among stakeholders to reduce nonpoint source pollution from sediments, nutrients, pathogens, and toxins, and to preserve, protect, and restore open space within the St. Joseph River Watershed. The plan outlines seven strategic goals, including establishing stakeholder capacity, reducing soil erosion and sedimentation, decreasing nutrient loading, enhancing cooperation and coordination among stakeholders, increasing open space preservation, eliminating disease-causing organisms, and reducing pesticides and other toxins. The overarching vision is to establish the St. Joseph River Watershed as an exceptional natural resource that sustainably provides for economic, agricultural, residential, and recreational needs.

The Strategic Plan for the Southern Michigan Invasive Species Team (SMIST) outlines its roadmap for managing and eradicating invasive species in St. Joseph, Branch, and Hillsdale counties from 2021 to 2025. Key focus areas include strengthening partnerships, developing early detection and mapping protocols for priority species, and providing comprehensive education and outreach programs. The plan also emphasizes active treatment and management of invasive species populations, monitoring their pathways, and proactively planning for new threats, aligning with state goals for prevention, control, and restoration.