Forests can be classified in different ways.

The easiest way is to classify forests into types according to the trees that grow in them. By following this method of classification, we arrive at three distinct types of forests:

• Broadleaf forests, where the most common trees are broadleaf trees.
• Pine forests, where the most common tree species is pine.
• Spruce forets, where the most common tree species is spruce.

Forests can also be classified in accordance to their soil type and the plants typically found in their undergrowth:

• In dry taiga forests, you can find lichens, with pine as the most prominent tree speceis.
• In wet taiga forests, you can find mosses, with spruce as the most prominent tree species.
• In broadleaf forests, the undergrowth is rich, and the most prominent trees are broadleaf trees.

For many people living in cities, parks are the most well known forest-like environment. Parks are different from natural forests in many different ways, most notably in terms of their species, as well as because their plants are often watered and taken care of by humans.

Broadleaf forest can be seen in the foreground of the photograph. The lake shores in the background are dominated by taiga forest.