A new statewide poll from the University of Montana’s Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Initiative sends a clear message: Montanans want public lands kept public, access protected, and conservation prioritized.
The 2026 UM Public Lands Poll found strong bipartisan support for public lands and conservation policies, along with rising concern about access, drought, and the effects of staffing and funding cuts on public lands management.
For Montanans, this is not an abstract issue. Public lands are where people hunt, fish, camp, hike, and make a living. They support wildlife habitat, clean water, and the outdoor traditions that define this state.
“Public lands are central to Montana’s identity, and this poll makes clear that support for keeping them accessible, well-managed, and protected runs deep across the political spectrum,” said Frank Szollosi, Montana Wildlife Federation Executive Director.
“Montanans are fed up with cuts that leave our lands, waters, wildlife, and fisheries shortchanged. For hunters, anglers, and everyone who values clean water, healthy habitat, and the freedom to get outside, these findings are a reminder that conservation remains one of the issues that brings Montanans together most strongly.”
Access to Public Lands Is a Growing Concern
One of the clearest findings in the poll is the sharp rise in concern over access.
Today, 71% of Montanans say loss of access to public lands is an extremely or very serious problem. That is a 30-point increase since 2022.
That jump matters. Access is central to Montana’s outdoor heritage and way of life. Public lands only stay public in a meaningful sense if people can actually reach and use them.
The poll also found overwhelming support for keeping those lands in public hands. Eighty-four percent of respondents support banning the sale or transfer of federal public lands, including 65% who strongly support such a ban.
Montanans Are Fed Up With Cuts to Public Lands Management
The poll found widespread concern about recent firings, staffing losses, and funding cuts affecting public lands.
Nearly three in five voters said they are extremely or very concerned about those cuts. When including those who are somewhat concerned, that number climbs above 80%.
A majority of respondents said those cuts would hurt every area tested, with wildfire management topping the list.
That tracks with what many Montanans already understand: well-managed public lands require staff, stewardship, and on-the-ground capacity. Cuts do not stay on paper. They show up in delayed maintenance, reduced habitat work, less oversight, and weaker wildfire response.
Conservation Remains a Top Montana Voting Issue
The poll also shows that conservation remains one of the strongest areas of agreement across party lines.
Nine in 10 Montanans said conservation issues are important when deciding whether to support an elected official, including:
- 82% of Republicans
- 92% of independents
- 99% of Democrats
That kind of alignment is notable. In Montana, public lands, wildlife habitat, clean water, and access are not niche issues. They are core values.
“Since this poll began a dozen years ago, Montanans’ interest in protecting public lands has only grown stronger,” said UM initiative director Rick Graetz. “Bipartisan support for conservation is undeniable and deeply rooted. Wherever I go in Montana, I hear from people wanting to safeguard their quality of life and their freedom to visit public lands and waters. There is no appetite for sell-off or industrialization of public lands here and that clearly shows in the data.”
Montanans Support Strong Public Lands Protections
The survey tested a range of public lands and conservation policies. Support remained broad and consistent across the board.
Key findings include:
- 84% support banning the sale or transfer of public lands
- Two-thirds prefer continued Land and Water Conservation Fund funding for conservation over infrastructure uses
- A plurality support maintaining current Wilderness Study Area protections, with growing support for increasing them
- Only 7% support eliminating WSA protections altogether
- 87% support presidential authority to designate national monuments
- 76% support corner crossing to access public lands
- About two-thirds oppose rare earth mineral mining in public lands areas
Similar numbers oppose reducing protections for WSAs
The poll also found that Montanans widely agree on the importance of public input in public lands decisions.
Drought, Snowpack, and Other Pressures Are Top of Mind
Compared to prior surveys, more Montanans say they are worried about low snowpack and drought.
That concern reflects the reality people are seeing on the ground: lower flows, drier conditions, stressed fisheries, and heightened wildfire risk. It also shows that voters are connecting the dots between land management, water, habitat, and long-term conservation.
The poll tested views on data centers as well. More than two-thirds of respondents said they believe data centers would negatively affect water availability, the reliability of the electric grid, and electricity costs.
What This Poll Means
The takeaway is straightforward: Montanans want public lands protected, access maintained, and conservation treated as a real priority.
They want:
- Public lands kept public
- Access protected
- Habitat conserved
- Agencies properly staffed and funded
- Public input respected
- Long-term stewardship prioritized over short-term exploitation
That is a strong mandate for decision-makers in Montana and beyond.
The 2026 UM Public Lands Poll reinforces what sportsmen and women, conservationists, and public lands advocates have been saying for years: these lands matter, and Montanans expect leaders to treat them that way.
Read the full 2026 Voter Survey, summary, and press release here.
