New Poll Shows Overwhelming Support for Protecting Public Lands

Media Releases

Media Contacts
Lindsey Wilson

Environment Colorado

Colorado Springs — Colorado College has released their annual Conservation in the West Poll. The poll, which represents bipartisan surveys from over 2,400 people across Arizona, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, demonstrates the overwhelming bipartisan public support for preserving public lands for our children and future generations to explore.

“This poll further illustrates what we at Environment Colorado already know to be true: Coloradans love our parks, forests and other wild lands. Our elected officials should heed the public’s call to provide these treasured landscapes with the resources they need and protections they deserve.  

“Otherwise, instead of sweeping vistas of mountains and forests broken only by pristine lakes and ponds, our kids might see oil rigs instead of trees and fracking waste pits instead of ponds.”
 
The poll found that of those surveyed:

  • 83 percent oppose funding cuts for parks, forests and other public lands.
  • 74 percent believe our national parks, forests, monuments, and wildlife areas are the biggest attractions in their home states.
  • 71 percent believe selling off public lands to corporations for development will hurt their economy and quality of life.
  • 74 percent oppose the sale of public lands as a way of reducing the deficit.