May 26, 2016 – More than four in five Ohioans (84 percent) believe it is very important to keep national public lands owned by and open to the general public, including national parks, national forests, wildlife refuges and other lands owned by all Americans, according to a poll released today by Ohio Statewide Survey. In addition, 83 percent oppose “the U.S. Congress passing laws that allow national public lands to be sold for private uses such as housing developments, resorts, mining and oil and gas drilling.”

“The results of this poll underscore how the core beliefs of Ohioans align with those of the National Wildlife Federation — that state policymakers and members of Congress need to defend against attempts to sell off or develop public lands,” said Frank Szollosi, Regional Outreach Manager with the National Wildlife Federation. “Only by standing firm on public lands issues will future Americans be able to inherit the vast public lands that are part of our shared conservation heritage.”

On a news conference on Thursday, Collin O’Mara, President and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation, Frank Szollosi, Regional Outreach Manager for NWF, and Matt Misicka, the President of Ohio Conservation Federation discussed what implications the poll results indicate for both Ohio politicians and national policymakers. The poll touched upon a few key public lands questions, including the sale and development of public lands across America and notion that it is imperative to “keep public lands public” and accessible to all Americans.

The National Wildlife Federation collaborated on the poll with Fallon Research and Communications from 5/10/16 – 5/14/2016, polling 803 registered voters in Ohio.