Belleville Ponds Complex Association

Help Save Secret Lake — Adopt an Acre Today!

We’re a group of concerned local residents who have come together to protect something truly special: Secret Lake, a vital part of the watershed that feeds into Ryan Park’s Belleville Pond in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.

This peaceful haven—once used for fishing, kayaking, swimming, and ice skating—is now in crisis.

What’s Happening?

Secret Lake is being overtaken by aggressive invasive plants like milfoil and fanwort. If we don’t act soon, the lake could be reclassified as a wetland—ending all recreational use and drastically altering the local ecosystem.

Both the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) and the Town of North Kingstown recognize that Secret Lake and Ryan Park’s Belleville Pond are impaired bodies of water, but neither has the funds to address the issue. While we’re actively collaborating with them, they’ve made it clear: we must raise the money ourselves.

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Our Plan to Restore the Lake

We’ve created a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Belleville Ponds Complex Association, and developed a DEM-approved 3-year treatment plan to safely remove invasive plants and restore clean, clear, usable water. We’re following the successful model used at Breezy Lake in Coventry, RI, which went from nearly unusable to thriving after similar treatment.

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Adopt an Acre — Restore a Lake

• Treatment Costs: $1,000 per acre for herbicide application (safe for fish, birds, and pets), plus up to $5,000 for a required biological survey.

• Goal: Raise $55,000 by mid-July 2025 to complete treatment before the next growing season.

• Lake Size: Secret Lake spans 47 acres.

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How You Can Help

Donate any amount – Every gift brings us one step closer to saving Secret Lake.

Adopt an Acre ($1,000) – Sponsor a symbolic acre and be honored on our public donor board.

Share this campaign – Help us reach others who care about protecting Rhode Island’s natural beauty.

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All donations are tax-deductible and go directly to lake restoration.

Let’s bring back Secret Lake—clean, clear, and full of life—for ourselves, our children, and future generations.

Please donate today.