US National Grasslands Survey Quantitative Survey and Segmentation Report 2026

The 2026 US National Grasslands Survey reveals that while 71% of Americans are likely to support grassland conservation, grasslands are perceived as the seventh most threatened ecosystem. The report segments the population into five groups—Passionates, Leisures, Environmentalists, Materialists, and Indifferents—and finds that providing information significantly increases the perceived importance of grasslands, moving them from the fourth to the first most important ecosystem among respondents.

• Public knowledge of US grasslands is split, with 53% of participants claiming some or more knowledge subjectively, while 52% were ranked as medium or high knowledge based on an objective quiz.
• Grasslands are viewed as the fourth most important ecosystem in the US, trailing freshwater, forest, and marine ecosystems, but they are perceived as the seventh most threatened of eight ecosystems, ranking only above deserts.
• The US population is divided into five distinct segments regarding grasslands: Passionates (10%), Leisures (13%), Environmentalists (19%), Materialists (33%), and Indifferents (25%). Environmentalists possess the highest objective knowledge, while Passionates most frequently overestimate their own knowledge.
• There is strong general support for grassland conservation (71%) and specific sustainable uses, including sustainable farming and ranching (approximately 90%) and recreational activities (approximately 90%).
• When presented with information about grasslands during the survey, the perceived importance of the ecosystem rose from being ranked fourth to being the most-chosen ecosystem.
• Recreational use is common, with 60% of respondents visiting grasslands in the last year, with hiking identified as the most frequent activity.

APA

WWF International (2026). US National Grasslands Survey Quantitative Survey and Segmentation Report 2026. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2428/US_National_Grasslands_Survey_Report_2026.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. US National Grasslands Survey Quantitative Survey and Segmentation Report 2026. 2026. https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2428/US_National_Grasslands_Survey_Report_2026.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=US National Grasslands Survey Quantitative Survey and Segmentation Report 2026 |date=June 2026 |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2428/US_National_Grasslands_Survey_Report_2026.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2026national, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{US National Grasslands Survey Quantitative Survey and Segmentation Report 2026}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2026}, month = jun, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/documents/2428/US_National_Grasslands_Survey_Report_2026.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }