Maritime forests occur in dynamic coastal environments and are at increasing risk of converstion to other community types, particularly salt marsh or open water.

Maritime forest habitat and species are threatened by many stressors, including development, damage from off-road vehicles, nutrient and contaminant runoff and sedimentation, and continued sea-level rise and increasing coastal surge. Increases in extreme weather events, including convective and tropical storms and hurricanes, could disrupt soil structure, remove soil layers, increase exposure to contaminants, or increase salinity to the system even without added precipitation.