The long-term existence of Swamp pink populations is dependent on the availability of high-quality, undisturbed habitat. It is no longer found in many areas along the mid- Atlantic states because extensive development has destroyed or degraded the plant's habitat. The change in water quality and supply to wetlands caused by disturbances in upland areas are not always readily apparent and can eliminate the sensitive Swamp pink from a forested wetland without directly destroying the wetland itself. Once found inhabiting wetland areas from New York to Georgia, Swamp pink is now only found along the coastal plain from New Jersey to Virginia and in isolated areas in the southern Appalachian Mountains.