© Pete Saloutos/Panoramic Images (Washington Title Image Large)
Palouse
In the southeastern portion of the state are the rolling hills of the Palouse. The deep, wind-deposited soils are rich and fertile, and proved to be well suited for growing a variety of agricultural crops, most notably grasses and legumes. Approximately 95% of the Palouse grasslands have been converted. The remaining native grasslands are often in small north-facing slopes that are too steep to plow. Unfortunately, these ‘eyebrows’ are subject to gradual weed encroachment, loss of pollinators for native plants, and a general degradation over time.