as the early cattlemen learned. When managed carefully, the grasslands provide rich grazing. Above and beyond Nicola Lake, visible to the east, lies Douglas Lake Ranch, the largest ranch in Canada. Within 10 minutes of leaving Merritt, you will have passed out of the dry Bunchgrass Zone of the Nicola Valley, through the Ponderosa Pine and the Interior Douglas-fir zones and re-entered the Montane Spruce Zone. Lodgepole pine dominates the forest as you gain the Thompson Plateau. This species depends on periodic fires for its re-establishment. Toward Surrey Lake Summit (which, at 1,444 metres, is higher than the Coquihalla Summit), the cooler, moister conditions favour Interior spruce. Notice how the large old-growth trees tower above the pines, a sure sign of an earlier fire they have survived. Together, Interior spruce and pine are British Columbia's most important forest resource, exceeding the majestic coastal forests in their contribution to the provincial economy. Their value lies in pulp and lumber production, but the living forest, too, offers great value: in rangeland, watershed protection, climate amelioration, landscape vistas and recreation opportunities. Clear-cuts can be seen in the distance. Smaller cuts, planted with pine in 1985, are sign posted along the highway. After Exit 336, the highway descends into the Thompson Valley, passing in quick succession through Montane spruce, Interior Douglas-fir, and ponderosa pine zones, to enter the Bunchgrass Zone that surrounds Kamloops.