Poll Finds Majority of Americans Oppose Cuts to National Parks

The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) released new data showing that a strong bipartisan majority of Americans reject recent and proposed cuts to our national parks. Only 16% of Americans support the Trump administration’s continued staffing cuts to the National Park Service, and only 12% back the proposed massive budget reduction for the agency. NPCA said it commissioned YouGov to conduct a nationwide survey on topics such as recent cuts to National Park Service staff, attempts to erase history and science in our parks and the ability of presidents to designate national monuments.

The NPCA poll, which surveyed a representative national sample of 3,000 adults (18 years and older), was conducted from Oct. 27 – Nov. 2 by YouGov. The margin of error for this poll is +/-2.14 %.

Key findings include:

A majority (69%) of Americans oppose the administration’s proposed $1 billion cut to the National Park Service’s budget, which could force the closure of an estimated 350 national parks sites across the country.

Across the political spectrum, more than 3 in 4 Americans (78%) agree that national parks should not remove photos, signs or other materials that tell factual aspects of America’s history.

A majority of Americans (77%), regardless of political affiliation, support the ability of presidents to designate national monuments, reflecting a desire to conserve more lands, history and heritage for future generations.

Nearly 60% of Americans oppose opening lands in or adjacent to national parks for mining and drilling, recognizing that such activities can cause irreversible damage and threaten the experiences millions of visitors come to national parks to enjoy.