Technical Report
 

Evaluation of Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa County, Oregon for its merit in meeting national significance criteria as a National Natural Landmark representing Plateau Grasslands in the Columbia Plateau Biophysiographic Province

Public Deposited

Downloadable Content

Download PDF
https://ir.library.oregonstate.edu/concern/technical_reports/w66348116

Descriptions

Attribute NameValues
Creator
Abstract
  • The National Natural Landmarks (NNL) Program encourages the preservation of exceptional examples of the Nation’s biological and geological features. To qualify for NNL designation, a site must be one of the best examples of a geological or biological feature within a biophysiographic province. Zumwalt Prairie represents a perfect example of this concept, containing one of the largest remnants of native bunchgrass prairie in North America. The site includes deep-soiled bunchgrass prairie, buttes with aspen and Ponderosa pine, hawthorn shrublands, and a network of vernal pools, scablands and mounded prairie, all sitting along the edge of Hells Canyon. It supports huge herds of elk, the only remaining population of sharp-tailed grouse in Oregon, is part of the range of the only established wolf pack in the state, and is in exceptional ecological condition. The initial report recommended the site as the best remaining example of Palouse grasslands, based on an initial theme study, in which four grassland themes were identified: Lowland and Valley Grasslands, Palouse and Plateau Grasslands, Canyon Grasslands and Montane Grasslands.After considerable research, collaboration with subject matter experts, and site visits, we conclude that the Zumwalt PNNL still contains the requisite biological and geologic features necessary to support listing as a National Natural Landmark.
Resource Type
Date Available
Date Issued
Citation
  • Kagan, J.S. 2012. Evaluation of Zumwalt Prairie, Wallowa County, Oregon for Merit in Meeting National Significance Criteria as a National Natural Landmark to Represent Plateau Grasslands in theColumbia Plateau Biophysiographic Province. National Park Service Technical Report, National Natural Landmarks Program, Fort Collins, CO.
Non-Academic Affiliation
Subject
Rights Statement
Publisher
Peer Reviewed
Language
Replaces
Location

Relationships

Parents:

This work has no parents.

In Collection:

Items