Geography
The Zumwalt Prairie grassland is situated on a basalt plateau which varies in elevation from 3,500 to 5,500 feet (1,100 to 1,700 m) and is dominated by several native bunchgrasses, including Idaho Fescue (Festuca idahoensis), Bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoregnaria spicata), Sandberg's Bluegrass (Poa secunda) and many species of wildflowers. The Zumwalt Prairie is a piece of a once extensive temperate grassland system west of the Rocky Mountains which extended into Canada. The Zumwalt Prairie grassland system remains largely intact unlike most other prairies in North America. This fact can be attributed to its high elevation, harsh climate, and poor soils which made agriculture difficult. Because most of the Zumwalt Prairie escaped the plow, much of the important habitat remains for the plants and animals.
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