Along the western border of the region lie three upland areas that form part of the Manitoba Escarpment. To the south is Riding Mountain National Park, well known for its herds of elk and its display herd of bison. To the north are Duck Mountain Provincial Park and the Porcupine Mountains which have fairly large concentrations of moose. Forestry, mixed farming, and tourism are major industries. This prairie region covers the area in the southwest part of the province, extending just east of Winnipeg.
Summers are sunny and warm, with occasional intrusions of humid, tropical air.
Winters are cold compared to other parts of south-ern Canada. Wind is a constant feature of the open grasslands. It causes spring dust storms and makes for bitter winter days. Annual precipitation ranges from 550 millimetres in the east to about 450 millimetres in the west. Mean annual temperature is 2C. Formations of sandstone and shale are overlain with heavy clay and silt deposits left by meltwater from the glaciers.