public lands
In April and May 2015, 52,845 Utahns shared their voice through the , Your Future survey. Participants chose their favorite scenarios for public lands and other topics. After choosing their favorite scenarios, survey participants had the option to answer a series of questions to prioritize public lands among other issues, determine the most important outcomes related to public lands, and identify how willing they would be to take specific actions to ensure those outcomes. The survey results were cross-checked against a random-sample survey to ensure they represented the desires and opinions of Utahns.
What Utahns Want
Utahns want their public lands to be managed differently than today. Most Utahns chose a scenario in which advocates for different uses of public lands compromise and by 2050 the lands are used for a balance of high-intensity and low-intensity purposes. While lands managed to preserve natural character expand, agriculture, mining, and recreation on public lands also expand. Energy production increases in some areas, even as energy development is prohibited on some lands.
Why Utahns Want It
Utahns put a high priority on maintaining and improving ecosystems and watersheds. They also want to ensure that Utah is able to meet its own energy needs, that Utahns can enjoy the outdoors with family and friends, and that public lands contribute to a strong Utah economy that benefits individuals, families, and communities. Rural Utahns are more concerned than other Utahns about public lands being available for grazing and agriculture and maximizing rural jobs and economic development.
What Utahns Are Willing To Do
Utahns are very willing to prohibit intensive recreation (e.g., use of off-highway vehicles) and motorized vehicles on some lands. Utahns are also supportive of energy development and grazing on public lands in ways that are protective of ecosystem or watershed health and as long as they’re not done in areas that should be managed to preserve natural character. Utahns are willing to support creating a new state or national park but are cautious about allowing significant new land-use restrictions.
