Poll results released Monday showed that public lands are very important to voters across the political spectrum in California’s new 40th Congressional District, which includes sections of Orange and Riverside counties.
Poll participants thought public lands were an important issue both in voters’ personal lives and when forming opinions about their representative in Congress, according to the Power in Nature Coalition.
The survey by Alexandria, Virginia-based North Star Opinion Research showed protecting public lands is an important issue for Democratic, Republican and independent voters. Poll takers reported regularly visiting parks and nature preserves while noting concerns about their maintenance and accessibility.
The poll gathered opinions from 400 registered voters in the newly formed 40th District in the foothills of Orange and Riverside counties from eastern Mission Viejo in OC and southern Corona to Murrieta in Riverside County.
“Supporting policies that protect public lands, and opposing policies that harm them, unites Californians across the political spectrum,” Dan Judy, vice president of North Star Opinion Research, said in a statement. “Republicans, Independents and Democrats alike all visit public lands. This survey confirmed that public lands are one of the rare issues bringing Americans together. Public lands are broadly popular: 88% of voters are more favorable to a member of Congress who supports funding to take care of these places.”
The Power in Nauture Coalition highlighted these findings:
- 65% of 40th District voters visit public lands at least a few times per year.
- 87% opposed proposals to sell public lands to private interests and cut off use for residents and visitors to the region.
- 80%, including 68% of Republicans and 82% of independents, said it is unwise to reduce funding and staffing for public lands,
- 79% of poll participants, including 70% of Republicans and 80% of independents, said protecting and preserving public lands and access is an important issue for their vote for Congress in the upcoming election in November.
- 88% were more favorable to congressional representative who supports funding to take good care of public lands, including facilities and park rangers.
“Southland residents highly value their public lands as the pressures of urban life and urban infrastructure limit opportunities to enjoy nature,” Melanie Schlotterbeck, conservation consultant for Hills For Everyone and Power in Nature’s Southland regional lead, said in a statement. “Opportunities for recreation are both limited and prized by recreational enthusiasts. The stunning San Mateo Canyon Wilderness is just one of those locations where visitors can enjoy breathtaking views, see the headwaters of a coastal watershed, and see wildlife like deer, cougars, and grey foxes.”
The 40th District is known for natural beauty and rolling foothills, like those found in San Mateo Canyon Wilderness and Cleveland National Forest’s Trabuco District, which contain the headwaters of Trabuco Creek and a population of Southern steelhead trout, coalition members said. Other significant public spaces are within the Santa Ana Mountains, including Casper’s Wilderness Park and O’Neill Regional Park.
Those parks protect lands via Orange County’s park system and provide a home to the state-threatened mountain lion. District 40 also has the Coal Canyon Ecological Preserve and southern portions of Chino Hills State Park, which have the northernmost stand of Tecate cypress trees. The trees are found in only 20 places worldwide, according to the coalition.
“Mountain biking in Orange County is one of the greatest experiences anyone can have,” David Browning, president of the Orange County Mountain Bike Association, said in a statement. “That’s why members of OCMTBA are passionate about keeping public lands protected and trail systems accessible for everyone to enjoy. We helped fight off Congress’ proposed public lands sell-off last year, opposed the firing of land managers, and we’re still standing up against the rollback of the Roadless Rule and other attempts to take away access to our backcountry.”
This survey was conducted June 16-22. The margin of error for the full sample is plus or minus 4.9%, according to North Star, which is a national public opinion research firm that does surveys and focus groups for associations, nonprofit organizations, corporations and Republican candidates for office at all levels of government.
More information on the poll’s methodology and results is available online.
The boundaries of California’s 40th Congressional District were significantly redrawn by California Proposition 50, which voters approved in November. The measure put forth by Gov. Gavin Newsom was a mid-decade redistricting effort to counter redistricting in Texas designed to increase Republicans in the House of Representatives. District 40’s redrawn boundaries combine portions of Orange County and the Inland Empire, forcing incumbent Republican Reps. Young Kim and Ken Calvert to face-off against each other for the seat.
Redistricting turned Calvert’s 41st District heavily Democratic, forcing him to switch races and run for the 40th District seat.
