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The Center for Western Priorities has released a new report assessing state-level conservation policies in the West. The 2024 Western State Conservation Scorecard evaluates eight Western states—Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—on benchmarks in three categories: land protection and access; responsible energy development; and land use and planning for growth. The 2024 scorecard updates and builds upon CWP’s previous state conservation scorecard, released in 2017.
While no state achieved a perfect score, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico emerged as clear conservation leaders, with well-funded conservation programs and a demonstrated commitment to public land protections. Montana and Wyoming show that Western states can make progress on conservation in ways that work for them, though both states have room to improve in regulating oil and gas development. Arizona, Idaho, and Utah have the opportunity to significantly improve their scores in multiple categories. These states generally score well on protecting public land access for outdoor recreation, but need to back that up with support for public land conservation and better stewardship of natural resources in the face of accelerating growth.
"Public lands are central to what makes the West such an attractive place to live and visit, and states have an important role to play in conserving the West’s iconic landscapes, outdoor recreation opportunities, and the high quality of life that comes with living near protected public lands," Center for Western Priorities Policy Director Rachael Hamby said in a statement. "Western states clearly demonstrate that it is possible to prioritize conservation while growing a state’s economy and developing its natural resources responsibly."
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We can’t plan for hopes and dreams. We have to plan for what’s actually there, and that involves hard choices.”
