Smith Butte RNA

Smith Butte Research Natural Area (RNA) was chosen to represent stands of grand fir (Abies grandis), Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) and ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa). Smith Butte is a volcanic cinder cone on an eastside crest of the Cascade Mountains. The RNA includes a dry meadow on the remains of an ancient volcanic vent. The topography is relatively flat with a slight southerly aspect. Slopes are moderate and smooth with a saddle in between the two highest points. Grand fir, Douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine are the predominant tree species with scattered stands of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides), lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta), western larch (Larix occidentalis), Scouler’s willow (Salix scouleriana), and western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla).