Some trees can grow just about anywhere. It can grow where the soil is very dry and poor in nutrients or where the soil is very rich and moist. The one thing lodgepole pine cannot do without is sunlight. Other trees are more demanding and will grow only in certain parts of the province.
Some trees are very particular about the amount of nutrients and moisture they receive.
For example, arbutus occurs only in southern coastal areas within a few kilometres of the ocean, where the climate is mild in the winter and the summers are warm. It likes to grow in dry areas, such as on rocky outcrops. Arbutus also prefers to grow where there is plenty of sunlight. Because trees, other plants, and animals vary in their ability to tolerate environmental conditions, we see a variety of ecosystems throughout the province, from lush coastal rain forests to dry, open grasslands and subalpine areas.