Glass Buttes has been important to Native American tribes since time immemorial. Obsidian gathered there continues to be used for traditional cultural practices, flintknapping, and education that preserves and sustains tribal culture. The material was traded at least as far as British Columbia and was used foremost by local and regional tribes throughout Washington and Oregon. Its quality, color, and character suited the crafting of tools and objects used in hunting, gathering, and ceremonial activities before contact. Present-day tribal members still gather and use obsidian from Glass Buttes and other sources as their ancestors did, and seasonal hunting and plant gathering at Glass Buttes and nearby areas also remain important tribal practices. The land, water, plants, and wildlife there are vital to the health and integral living parts of tribal families, and the protection and sustainable use of Glass Buttes and the natural environment are essential to maintaining Native American culture and the well-being of all people. Glass Buttes is a historic and culturally rich area managed by the Bureau of Land Management, containing deposits of obsidian, a naturally occurring igneous rock found at the surface and underground. The butte is a rhyolitic dome formed about 4.9 million years ago, when multiple flows of molten volcanic glass oozed from the ground and created a broad landscape covered with obsidian. About 36 square miles of surrounding BLM-administered land is designated as a rockhounding area, with elevations ranging from about 4,700 feet near the highway to 6,400 feet at the peak of Glass Butte. The area also offers sightseeing and dispersed camping. Local vegetation includes juniper, mountain mahogany, sagebrush, grasses, and forbs. Wildlife in the area includes mule deer, elk, antelope, golden eagles, geese, rabbits, and snakes, and cattle graze there at certain times of year.