The relationship of plants and the environment is a complex evolution process. We discuss species composition of forest communities, ecological characteristics of the population, and the relationship between different plant communities and the environment with quantitative ecology method to protect the stability of forest communities and biodiversity in the area. The forest communities in the Xiaowutai Mountain National Nature Reserve in Hebei province were investigated with a two-way indicator species analysis (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). All quadrats (n=148) were classified into 20 groups representing 20 plant communities. The results of the CCA ordination clearly reflected the pattern of community distribution, and it was obvious in the gradients of the first and second axis, which mainly represented altitude, slope position, litter layer thickness, soil electrical conductivity, soil temperature, soil moisture, soil thickness, and disturbance. All environmental factors influenced the forest community distribution pattern and the formation of different vegetation types. The CCA ordination of dominant species in tree layer revealed a high degree of similarity between environmental gradients and the distributions of community types. A two-dimensional t-value diagram clarified that altitude, litter layer thickness, soil temperature, and disturbance played an important role in dominant species in the tree layer of forest communities. In this study, we used TWINSPAN classification and CCA ordination to explain the relationships between forest communities and environmental factors. The purpose was to provide a theoretical basis for scientific management of the Xiaowutai Mountain area and to analyze the results that can be used as a reference for research and protection of forest ecosystems in similar areas.