In regards to the recent events involving the newly renovated Lake LaVerne, I would like to take this opportunity to state a few facts regarding the lake and the swans, Lancelot and Elaine.

To begin, the lake, after years of neglect and mismanagement, was renovated with funds presented in the form of a class gift from the class of 1995.

Renovations included landscaping and dredging, and the installation of aquafiers and dredging systems in the attempt to minimize algae buildup.

Finally, after months of hard work, the lake promised to be a place of beauty and an added attraction to Iowa State’s already beautiful campus.

Secondly, Lake LaVerne’s newest residents, the trumpeter swans, Lancelot and Elaine, were originally presented as a class gift from the class of 1930, and were re-presented in 1995 after the completion of the lake’s renovations and in conjunction with the renaming ceremonies of Old Botany Hall to Carrie Chapman Catt Hall.

With the establishment of a safe nesting and living environment on the west side of the lake, the swans seemed to have the perfect home.

With the recent dyeing of the lake, many found that the most disturbing aspect of the vandalism is, along with the environmental damage that has been done, the possible danger the innocent swans could have been placed in.

The trumpeter swan is a FEDERALLY protected species that is listed as endangered.

Not only that, the trumpeter swan is a NATIVE Iowa waterfowl.

With the disappearance of the last trumpeter swan in 1870, the trumpeter swan is just recently returning to Iowa to winter here.

Recent reestablishment of Iowa’s natural wetland and prairie areas encourage the swan to nest here during the colder winter months, and recently more and more swans are choosing to stay here in Iowa and make their nests.

While a few places can boast of a permanent nesting site, few can boast of a permanent nesting site within an urban setting, like Ames can.

Finally, though I am not a lawyer nor am I a judge, I believe that putting dye or some other colorant into the waters of Lake LaVerne could constitute destruction of public or private property, which in the state of Iowa is called criminal mischief and if the damage exceeds $1000 and is lower than $10,000 to repair, it would be a class D felony, (section 716.4 in the Iowa Criminal code) punishable by up to five years in prison and fines of almost $7,500.

Those are small potatoes compared to the fines and penalties that could be imposed if the swans have or had been injured in any way.

As said before, the trumpeter swan is a FEDERALLY protected animal, therefore, intentionally injuring or killing them is a FEDERAL crime, punishable by thousands of dollars in fines and/or jail time.

It is time for those involved in this little “prank” to come forward and tell officials what they used and what was done to the lake, so that those involved with the cleanup efforts may do things that are more effective.

It is also important for anyone having any information about this crime, because it is a crime, to notify someone and tell them what it is that he or she knows.

This is OUR campus, and it is up to US to take a stand and get involved.

Kari Johnson

Freshman

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