blackfoot-valley

comparably sized portion of southeastern British Columbia. There are also a few larger areas elsewhere in Canada where larches are common, but these regions are quite sparsely populated. There is one part of the world where larch actually dominates: a region of Siberia, nearly as big as the United States but very sparsely populated, having the most extreme winters in the world outside of ice-clad Antartica. The only other area punctuated by major stands of larch is the European Alpine region, especially in Austria and Swit- zerland. (Vegetation maps are in Goode’s Atlas; see sources.) Besides larch, broadleaf deciduous trees such as aspen, birch, cottonwood, and willow are found on the Ranch especially along streams and ponds. The Ranch abounds with wildlife. Elk forage in the hills of both the north and south sections of the property, as well as both whitetail and mule deer in greater numbers. (Hunting is not allowed to the public on Ranch land.) There are coyotes and foxes as well. Meriwether Lewis noted antelope in the valley in 1806, but those are long gone. In season the ponds, includ- ing some on the Ranch, are havens for migrating ducks and geese, and a few swans. Some of the ducks and geese stay all winter. The largest numbers of these waterfowl are naturally found on the valley’s largest lake, Browns Lake, a few miles north of Ranch headquarters and at a closer distance northeast of the Wales Ranch section. Land birds notably include grouse. Over the years, Chinese pheasants have several times been introduced to the valley, but these were never successful - they’ve disappeared every time. Ravens are relatively new arrivals in the valley, reports old-timer Tom Geary. Wildlife 34