It may come as a surprise to developers, but the
Grand Canyon region’s lower-income residents favor protecting the
environment over promoting economic growth. So says a recent
survey, Grand Canyon Reflections: A Report on the Environmental
Values, Attitudes and Beliefs of the Residents of the Grand Canyon
Region, by Northern Arizona University’s social research
laboratory. Despite low-paying jobs and a high cost of living, over
half of the 600 residents surveyed said they stay in the region for
its scenic beauty and climate. Eighty-two percent of respondents
favored limiting development, and 66 percent supported limiting
tourism and population growth. A majority also supported community
rights over individual property-owner interests and approved of
continued government management of public
lands.
The nonprofit Grand Canyon Trust, which
commissioned the random telephone survey, notes that Native
American households were underrepresented because few have phones.
A free copy of the 22-page survey ($2 postage) can be ordered from
the trust’s headquarters at
520/774-7488.
This article appeared in the print edition of the magazine with the headline Beauty prized above all.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
