New Poll Shows that 65% of Westerners Want to Keep Public Lands Under Federal Management

In a debate that is seemingly as old as time, a new poll conducted by the folks over at Colorado College has solidified (once again) the west’s general view of public lands.  With hundreds of millions of acres under federal management, our public lands are truly a national treasure and are something that are ubiquitously American.

But as President Trump and his right-hand-man continue to dismantle bureaucratic government agencies, the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Land Management, and hence, public lands, have also since come under attack. With the news of the recent layoffs of around 4,400 people from the aforementioned agencies, the results of this annual survey can be seen as incredibly timely, to say the least.

The recently released annual State of the Rockies Project Conservation in the West Poll indicates that Western voters continue to express strong support for robust conservation policies. These findings represent a potential conflict with the agenda of the new administration, which has signaled an intent to roll back existing environmental regulations, implement budget cuts to conservation programs, and promote increased energy development. This misalignment between public sentiment and administrative policy could lead to significant discord and opposition from Western voters who prioritize environmental protection and conservation efforts.

Surveying voters across eight Mountain West States, including Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming, the survey has solidified a the public opinion regarding the use of public lands. The preference for conservation over energy development has reached an all-time high in the 15-year history of the poll, suggesting a growing trend towards prioritizing environmental protection and outdoor recreation across the west.

With 65% of respondents in opposition to the state control of federal lands, 75% of western voters oppose the reduction in funding for agencies such as the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

When it comes to those left in charge of making natural resource decisions, an overwhelming 87% of respondents support career professionals remaining in those roles.  And finally, 89% of Western voters want to keep national monument designations in place, including 57% who want them "definitely" kept. This sentiment spans party lines, with support from four-fifths of self-described MAGA supporters.

“The consensus favoring public lands conservation remains consistent and strong in the West,” said Katrina Miller-Stevens, Former Director of the State of the Rockies Project and an Associate Professor at Colorado College. “Westerners do not want to see a rollback of national monument protections and there is no mandate for oil and gas development. Voters from all political ideologies are united in support of public land conservation in the West.” 

Although rising living costs are a major concern for 81% of Western respondents, the vast majority of them are against sacrificing public lands for increased housing development. According to the results, folks in the west mostly want more housing built in or around existing neighborhoods rather than entertaining the notion of selling off public land for housing developments.

Something that ought to come at no surprise is the fact that westerners appreciate the natural beauty of their states, with more than three in ten citing nature as their favorite aspect of life. With 67% of Westerners having visited national public lands at least three times in the past year, 24% of them admitted that they have visited them more than ten times over the same time period.

With the survey data continuing to solidify what most of us already knew, the question then becomes what happens with all of this.  Given that the American voters did voice their concerns over government waste, at which point do we get to pick and choose which of the affected government agencies are targeted?

Is there wastage in these outdoor-focused agencies? It’s safe to say we all believe, to some extent, that there is. When it comes to sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts, we can all advocate for clean water, clean air and as much access as possible to these wonderfully open and public spaces. 

The unifying voice seems to be in congruence with the Colorado College survey - we all would like to see public lands remain in public hands. 

But let’s not forget that all of this comes at a cost. None of us want to see our public lands mutilated by oil and gas exploration and that is something we should remain in opposition to - or at least ensure it is approached with extreme diligence.

That said, if there is some internal rot that either needs to be removed or replaced, perhaps we should remain open to the idea of having a look at the guts of these agencies and ensuring not only that they are running efficiently, but also with our best interests in mind.