Reflecting on ten years of conservation in the West

Mar 10, 2020

By Center for Western Priorities

This year, Colorado College’s State of the Rockies Project celebrated the tenth anniversary of its Conservation in the West Poll, which has become a benchmark for assessing Western attitudes towards conservation and public lands throughout the past decade. The poll shows clearly that voters in the West care deeply about clean air and water, wildlife, and public lands; these voters prioritize public lands protection and expect the same values from their elected officials. Westerners have a lot in common across state and party lines, including increasing concern about climate change, disapproval of the Trump administration’s attacks on public lands, and a desire to vote for pro-conservation candidates.