Maritime red cedar forests are currently found only on the shores of the coastal plain of Long Island within the zone influenced by salt spray. There are very few occurrences of this community type currently documented.

This maritime forest to woodland community dominated by red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) occurs on sand dunes, upper edges of salt marshes, and less commonly on rocky headlands of the northern and mid-Atlantic coast. This maritime forest to woodland community is naturally restricted to major coastal dune systems. An estimated 30 occurrences of this community type exist, ranging in size from less than an acre up to a maximum of 100, with an average size of less than 10 acres. This association occurs along the northern and mid-Atlantic coast from Virginia to Massachusetts and possibly up to Maine and Quebec (NatureServe Explorer 2009).