In Manitoba, this ecoregion includes two elevated uplands, the Pembina Hills (163) and Turtle Mountain (164). Turtle Mountain rises some 200 m above the surrounding smooth plains. The Pembina Hills of the Manitoba Escarpment also rise some 200 m above the adjacent Manitoba Plain to the east, but only 30-100 m on the smoother section of the west. The mean annual temperature is approximately 2.5°C. The mean summer temperature is 16°C and the mean winter temperature is -12.5°C in the Pembina Hills and -12.5°C in Turtle Mountain. The mean annual precipitation ranges from 450 mm to slightly less than 700 mm.

Most of the upper elevations are wooded, and a forest reserve occupies most of the higher elevations of Turtle Mountain. A closed cover of tall trembling aspen with secondary quantities of balsam poplar, an understory of tall shrubs, and a ground cover of mixed herbs is the predominant vegetation. White spruce and balsam fir are the climax species but are not well represented. Poorly drained sites are usually covered with sedges, willow, some black spruce, and tamarack. Underlain by Cretaceous shale, these hummocky to kettled uplands are covered by calcareous, glacial till. Associated with the rougher morainal deposits are a large number of small lakes, ponds, and sloughs occupying shallow depressions to provide valuable habitat for waterfowl. Well- to imperfectly drained Dark Gray Chernozemic soils are predominant. Local areas of Gray Luvisols, peaty Gleysols, and Mesisols also occur in these uplands. The ecoregion remains for the most part in its native state and wildlife includes white-tailed deer, black bear, moose, ruffed grouse, beaver, coyote, and rabbit.

Lower elevations have a growing season length, available heat, and precipitation that permit the production of spring wheat, other cereals, oilseeds, and hay crops. The main communities are Swan Lake and Somerset. The population of the ecoregion is approximately 4,800.