Preserving land is much easier to advocate when you don't live there.
If you live there then by living and breathing and going to the bathroom you pollute it. In rural areas many of the things that might possibly make you money also cause damage to the environment around you. Whether that is farming, logging, ranching, or even showing tourists around. Love the land as much as you probably do, you ain't going to survive there without putting stress on it.
Any time we decide that non-economic values outweight economic goals, someone pays economically. Typically a lot of those someones are local to the preserved area, leading to their not being very supportive. This does not mean that preservation is automatically not worthwhile. But the point of view of locals should be respected.
Cheers,
Ben