A statewide survey of California voters, commissioned by the nonprofit Hispanic Access Foundation and conducted by David Binder Research, finds that more than three in four Californians (78 percent) oppose actions taken by President Donald Trump to remove protections from about 2 million acres of public lands that were previously declared national monuments.

Only 18 percent support his decision.

Further underscoring the value that California voters of all demographics and political affiliations place on protecting public lands, 88 percent of millennial voters oppose the president’s decision, as do strong majorities across other generational groups.

Nearly all Democrats (95 percent) oppose the president’s decision, along with 88 percent of independents. Just over half of Republicans (53 percent) support it.

Opposition is high across racial and ethnic groups, but voters of color (84 percent) are more likely than White voters (74 percent) to oppose the president’s decision.

“We all share the moral obligation to protect our outdoor heritage, to protect these special places, and to preserve them as a legacy for future generations,” said Maite Arce, president and CEO of Hispanic Access Foundation. “These national monuments were the byproduct of years of coalition building and stakeholder input – community roundtables, comment periods, events, visits, joint letters, etc. – and demonstrate the widespread support for the historical, recreational and economic benefits of our public lands.”

Californians’ strong support for protecting national monuments and public lands stands in stark contrast to the actions taken by President Trump.

Last year, Trump ordered a review of dozens of national monuments across the nation, threatening their protected status.

The monuments threatened by Trump’s actions include Berryessa Snow Mountain, which was declared a national monument by President Obama after years of cooperation by local elected officials, businesses, recreationists, Latino organizations, veterans, conservationists, and others.

The survey tested voters’ preferences for various outdoor recreational activities, their reasons for not visiting national public lands in California, and their overall views on the value of public lands.

Overwhelming majorities strongly agree that public lands:

– Are important to conserve for our children and grandchildren (89 percent);
– Are important for protecting our oceans, beaches, and coasts (85 percent);
– Are an important home to many species of wildlife (84 percent);
– Are valuable for their historical and archaeological sites (82 percent).

The poll surveyed 629 registered voters in California who voted in the 2016 presidential election and at least one other non-presidential election since 2008, or who registered to vote in 2016 and voted in that election.

Additionally, the survey oversampled non-White registered California voters who met the same voting criteria as the base sample.

The survey was conducted between January 25-30, 2018, and has a margin of error of ±4 percent for the base sample, ±5.6 percent for the oversample.

The survey’s findings can be viewed in their entirety at https://www.hispanicaccess.org/2018-california-voter-survey-national-monuments-and-public-lands.