Idaho poll finds 90 percent support for grazing public lands

A new statewide poll found that 90 percent of Idaho residents approve of livestock grazing as a legitimate use of public lands, the same percentage as guided recreation and mountain biking.

The survey conducted by the University of Idaho Social Science Research Unit for the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission found that:

• 98 percent of those surveyed by telephone approve of hiking and camping on public lands.
• 71 percent approved of logging on public lands.
• 65 percent approve of the use of motorized recreation, such as ATVs and motorbikes, on public lands.

The survey completed in December was based on 585 telephone surveys with Idaho residents, says Gretchen Hyde, executive director of the commission, in a media release.  More than half of the survey participants have lived in Idaho for more than 30 years, and participants represent a diverse cross-section of political ideology, she said...more