New Polling shows widespread and growing concern about conservation and the environment among Latinos in the region. The Mountain West News Bureau's Murphy Woodhouse reports.
The Conservation in the West Poll asked voters across the region about a wide range of environmental and policy topics. For 15 years, the Colorado College-run Opinion Survey has found strong support for conservation on public lands. This year, Latino respondents showed some of their highest levels of concern about water and public land, says Vanessa Sanchez, with the Hispanic Access Foundation. For example, she noted that last year, 85% of Latinos expressed strong support for the monuments. And in 2025, Latinos continue that movement to protect natural lands.
And now in 2025, Latinos continue that momentum to protect their natural lands. 91% believe that existing national monument designations from the last decade should be kept in place.
Trump administration officials have recently expressed interest in shrinking some monuments. Compared to other groups, Latinos also show generally higher concern about water pollution, water supplies, and the threat of wildfire.
Written by Murphy Woodhouse for NPR.
