a now-weathered hill on the western flank of the Buttes, which is not topped by rhyodacite and therefore likely formed after that lava erupted, despite having a lower relative elevation. Environment and ecology To the west of the Cline Buttes are woodlands covered with western juniper transitioning to ponderosa pine, lodgepole pine, and fir forest. The forest extends to the timberline on the central Cascade peaks, approximately away. The area south and east of the mountain is drier. It is typical of Oregon's high desert country dominated by juniper and sagebrush. The slopes of the Cline Buttes are covered by an old-growth juniper forest with an understory dominated by low sagebrush. Rabbitbrush is also a common understory shrub on the slopes. Low groundcover plants includes Granite Gilia, rough eyelash, Longleaf hawksbeard, and bunch grass. The Cline Buttes and the surrounding area host a wide variety of wildlife. Larger mammals found in the area include black-tailed deer, elk, coyotes, black bear, bobcats, and cougars. Smaller mammals include American badgers, striped skunks, black-tailed jackrabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits, mountain cottontails, Belding's ground squirrels, golden-mantled ground squirrels, and least chipmunks. Birds common to the Cline Buttes area include mountain chickadee, American goldfinch, lesser goldfinch, Black-headed grosbeak, mountain bluebird, Steller's jay, northern flickers, and black-billed magpie. Birds of prey found in the area include golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, northern harriers, and prairie falcons. While prairie falcons are uncommon in most parts of central Oregon, the area around the Cline Buttes has a native breeding population. To protect these birds, some areas around the Cline Buttes are closed to humans activities several months each year. Human use History The Cline Buttes were named in honor of Doctor Cass A. Cline (1850–1926), a pioneer dentist and early land developer in central Oregon. A nearby waterfall on the Deschutes River, northeast of the buttes, is also named after the dentist. Cline immigrated to Oregon in 1853, settling in the Willamette Valley. He moved to central Oregon in 1871. In 1886, he filed a homestead land claim along the Deschutes River, near the buttes and falls that now bear his name. Later, Cline attempted to establish a town along the west bank of the Deschutes River, near the foot of the Cline Buttes. At its peak, the town of Cline Falls had a post office, a school, two stores, two hotels, a newspaper, a power plant, and 500 residential lots