Wechee Butte

Wechee Butte Research Natural Area (RNA) was chosen to represent cinder cone ecosystems at mid-elevation within the ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa)-lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta) climax plant association. The topography is gently sloped and there is a crater at the top of the cinder cone. The rim of the crater is breached to the northwest and the surrounding land has a slight northeasterly incline. Lodgepole pine/bitterbrush (Purshia tridentata) /western needlegrass (Achnatherum occidentale) and ponderosa pine/bitterbrush-green leaf manzanita (Arctostaphylos patula)/western needlegrass are the two predominant plant association groups found in the RNA.