Poll shows support for conservation funding
A poll commissioned by the conservation coalition Land for Tomorrow showed wide support for land and water conservation, with mountain residents voicing the strongest support. Statewide, 73 percent of those polled wanted the state to fund $100 million for the state’s three publicly funded conservation trust funds.
The $100 million would restore funding to pre-recession levels. The conservation funds in question include the Clean Water Management Trust Fund, the Parks and Recreation Trust Fund and the Agricultural Development and Farmland Preservation Trust Fund. They conserve forests, working farms, parks and historic sites, while also preventing polluted runoff from contaminating water sources.
Support was strong across political parties and regions. Among political parties, support ranged from 62 percent among Republicans to 83 percent among Democrats; across regions, support varied from 69 percent in eastern N.C. to 86 percent in the mountains; 69 percent of those living in suburbs and 74 percent of those in cities, small towns and rural areas voiced support.
Land for Tomorrow is a statewide coalition that works to increase support for these trust funds. The phone poll was conducted by the bipartisan polling team made up of the Republican Public Opinion Strategies and the Democrat FM3. The margin of error is 4 percent.
