A recently conducted national poll shows widespread support for public lands, with 74 percent of respondents opposing the closure of federal public lands and 71 percent opposing the sale of existing public lands to the highest bidder. The poll was sponsored by the Trust for Public Land (TPL) and conducted by YouGov, a data analytics and polling research firm.
The organization interviewed 4,501 citizens between March 13 and March 27. The results showed overwhelming bipartisan support for public land conservation, with 85 percent of Democrat voters and 61 percent of Republican voters opposing the sale of public lands.
"Public lands are our great national unifier,” said Lucas St. Clair, Chair of TPL’s National Board of Directors in a press release. "They support our physical and mental health. They power local economies through outdoor recreation. And they remind us that shared spaces can still unite a divided nation."
The results come on the heels of another recent poll showing all-time high regional support for public lands among residents of the West. At the same time, lawmakers are eyeing selling off public lands, the Trump administration has laid off thousands of federal public land staffers, and the Interior Department is fast-tracking energy development and mining on public lands.
“We are living in a golden age of outdoor recreation,” said Dr. Carrie Besnette Hauser, President and TPL CEO. “Americans love their public lands. People want greater protection of existing lands, and they are eager for more opportunities to explore and connect to new landscapes.”
Hunting Groups Oppose Sell Offs
Just last week, two prominent big game hunting organizations—the Boone & Crockett Club (B&C) and the Wild Sheep Foundation (WSF)—issued strong statements in support of federally managed lands. In separate press releases, B&C and WSF condemned Congress' recent support for selling off federal lands as part of congressional budget negotiations.
"The complete value of our public lands has overcome all past attempts to dispose of it," the B&C statement reads. "These lands are too valuable to give up and hunters, ranchers, miners, foresters, farmers, recreationists, and the rest of the outdoor economy have reasons to agree. Many are saying so. All should."
Read Next: New Mexico Earmarks Record Funding for Wildlife Crossings
According to WSF, America's shared federal lands have withstood the test of time—and numerous attempts over the years to sell them off to private interests. "U.S. public lands are home to the majority of bighorn, dessert bighorn, and dall sheep in this country," the conservation organization wrote. "WSF cannot sacrifice these lands any more than we could these wild sheep that are our life's mission ... The many values of these lands held in trust exceed the value of any other use or tenure."
