A new poll by Colorado College shows broad support for federal public land ownership. Up to 60 percent of Western voters oppose proposals to sell federal land to private sources or transfer ownership to the states.
Against an uptick in anti-public lands rhetoric from militant extremists, a new Colorado College State of the Rockies Project Conservation in the West Poll released January 11, 2016 revealed strong public support for efforts to protect and maintain national public lands.
These results make clear Western communities care deeply about the public lands that embody the best of our nation’s culture, spirit and beauty,” said former U.S. Interior Department Secretary Ken Salazar. “Western voters see our outdoor heritage as integral to our economy and our way of life, and they certainly don’t want to see their public lands seized by ideologues or sold off by politicians in Washington.
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Susan Shedd
Please know that residents east of the Mississippi are also very concerned about our public lands . I live in the mountains of North Georgia and one reason I have remained here for the past 30 years is because I live adjoining the Chattahoochee national Forest . It is a treasure and needs to be protected. I was the founding president of the backcountry Horsemen of North Georgia and one reason that we began in 2006, in the first place, was to keep the Chattahoochee national Forest open for trail riders. This is absolutely the most important issue that has ever come before our organization and all residents of the mountains of North Georgia who enjoy and cherish our national Forest.
Peggy Thompson
I live in the Ozark Mountain of Arkansas near the Buffalo National River. I was a founding member of the Buffalo River BCHA to serve the Buffalo National River and keep the trails open for riders. We are located near vast National Forest also and are very concerned that any of these wonderful lands would be sold. That is why I live here and people are moving here because of these lands and the great outdoor experience that it offers. We have thousands of equestrians visiting out area each summer bringing valuable tourist dollars to our North West Arkansas. This is a most important issue to us and all the residents of North West Arkansas.