The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act

Montanans Overwhelmingly Support Tester’s Forest Bill, Poll Shows

By Bill Schneider, 8-11-09

The Forest Jobs and Recreation Act, landmark legislation introduced last month by Montana Sen. Jon Tester, enjoys strong support from Montanans in nearly all walks of life, according to a new statewide poll.

The poll, conducted in late July by Boulder, Colorado-based Harstad Strategic Research (HSR), found that 7 in 10 Montanans support the new bill, which focuses on job creation, forest management, clean water protections, and issues relating to wilderness and the economy.

A press release from Montana Trout Unlimited, one of a large coalition of groups in favor of the Tester bill, said HSR pollster Chris Keating found the support “overwhelming.”

“Senator Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act receives overwhelming majority support from Montanans,” Keating told Trout Unlimited. “This poll shows that it doesn’t matter if you call yourself a Democrat or a Republican, or if you live in a more urban or a more rural area—the lion’s share of Montanans favor the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act.”

Here are some key findings from the poll, direct from HSR:

-- More than 7 our of 10 Montana voters favored the legislation.

-- Support for the bill spans all key political parties, including Democrats (81 percent favor), Independents (77 percent favor) and Republicans (62 percent favor).

-- Supporters include voters in Montana’s more urban counties (76 percent favor) and in the 49 more rural counties (69 percent favor).

-- The bill has support across the sexes and ages: 75 percent of men and 72 percent of women favor it, and 70 percent or more voters favor it in every age group, from 18 to 60+.

-- Recreation lovers also voiced support, including those who like: camping (73 percent favor); fishing (72 percent favor); hunting (69 percent favor); off-road mountain biking (79 percent favor); and all-terrain vehicles (69 percent favor).

-- Sixty-five percent of voters who worked in farming, ranching, logging, mining, and drilling were also in favor of the bill.

According to the press release from Montana Trout Unlimited, the telephone survey of 503 registered Montana voters statewide was conducted July 27-29, and was commissioned by a coalition of Montana business owners, loggers, sportsmen and conservationists.

The coalition groups include: Sun Mountain Lumber, RY Timber, Roseburg Forest Products, Smurfit Stone, Pyramid Mountain Lumber, Trout Unlimited, National Wildlife Federation, Montana Wilderness Association, The Wilderness Society, Seeley Lake Community Council, Clearwater Resource Council, AERO, Montana Backcountry Horsemen, Three Rivers Challenge, Kootenai Ridge Riders ATV Club, Troy Snowmobile Club, Lincoln County Snow-Kats, Linehan Outfitting, Chapel Cedar Works, the Yaak Valley Forest Council, and Campaign for America’s Wilderness.

Like this story? Get more! Sign up for our free newsletters.