DENVER – Sportsmen and wildlife advocates point to the results of a new bipartisan poll as once again underscoring the strong, widespread support for our public lands and for ensuring access to them now and for future generations.

Results of Colorado College's latest annual Conservation in the West poll released Tuesday show that more than two-thirds of voters in six Rocky Mountain states believe federally managed lands belong to all Americans and not to a particular state, a finding that the National Wildlife Federation and its state affiliates in the region said mirrors what they hear from hunters, anglers and outdoor enthusiasts.

"Once again, a survey of public sentiment underlines just how off-track state and congressional lawmakers are when they push to take public lands out of public hands. Voters get it; these are America's public lands. They belong to all of us and we all have an obligation to take care of them and ensure our children, grandchildren and beyond enjoy the same opportunity to experience America's great outdoor legacy," said Kate Zimmerman, NWF's public lands policy director.

"The Colorado College survey couldn't be more timely. Now more than ever, it provides important information for our elected representatives as they are faced with some colleagues who seek to dismantle our public lands legacy and mess with a cherished American tradition. The poll makes clear how important public lands are to the Western way of life and local economies in Colorado," said Suzanne O'Neill, executive director of the Colorado Wildlife Federation.

"Nearly 80 percent of sportsmen told the pollsters that access to public lands is very important, something that's not a surprise to us in Montana. Our backcountry big game habitat, great trout streams, and other wild lands and waters define who we are as Montanans and as Americans. We will continue to speak out for keeping our public lands public," said Dave Chadwick, executive director of the Montana Wildlife Federation.

Read more about the National Wildlife Federation and state affiliates' work on defending our public lands:. http://www.ourpubliclands.org/blog/westerners-join-forces-keep-public-lands-public-hands

The Montana Wildlife Federation will join other sportsmen's organizations for a public-lands rally Feb. 16 at the state capitol in Helena.
The Colorado Wildlife Federation will join other sportsmen's organizations for a public-lands rally Feb. 25 at the state capitol in Denver.

The National Wildlife Federation is America's conservation organization inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future.

Contact: Judith Kohler, kohlerj@nwf.org, 720-315-0855 (mobile)