Warmer, drier summers are likely to increase the risk of drought and fire in these locations, which would help maintain the open conditions favoring this community type.

The presence of fire, either natural or managed, is an important disturbance process that maintains open conditions in the barrens, glades, and woodlands. This community type can change very quickly in the absence of fire, which may allow eastern red cedarredcedar, red maple, and nonnative buckthorn to establish or increase. Both drought and fire can benefit this community, keeping an open state where it is currently present, and even potentially gaining new habitat where adjacent oak-pine forest declines.