654-CPS-1 

NRCS, NHCP

October 2017

NRCS reviews and periodically updates conservation practice standards. To 

obtain the current version of this standard, contact your Natural Resources 

Conservation Service State office or visit the Field Office Technical Guide. 

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Natural Resources Conservation Service

CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARD 

ROAD/TRAIL/LANDING CLOSURE AND TREATMENT

Code 654 

(ft) 

DEFINITION

The closure, decommissioning, or abandonment of roads, trails, and/or landings and associated 

treatment to achieve conservation objectives. 

PURPOSE

To minimize various resource concerns associated with existing roads, trails, and/or landings by closing 

them and treating to a level where one or more the following objectives are achieved:

• Controlling erosion (road, sheet and rill, gully, wind), chemical residues and off-site movement, 

sediment deposition and damage, accentuated storm runoff, and particulate matter generation.

• Restoring land to a productive state by reestablishing adapted plants and habitat (wildlife food, 

cover, and shelter), reconnecting wildlife habitat and migration corridors including streams and 

riparian areas, and controlling noxious and invasive species.

• Reestablishing drainage patterns that existed prior to construction of the road, trail, or landing to 

restore the form and integrity of associated hill slopes, channels and floodplains and their related 

hydrologic and geomorphic processes.

• Minimizing human impacts to the closure area to meet safety, aesthetic, sensitive area protection, 

or wildlife habitat requirements.

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES

On roads, trails, and landings designated for closure including cut-and-fill slopes, sidecast areas and 

associated drainage structures. 

CRITERIA

General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes

Roads, trails, and landings will be designated into one of three levels of treatment:

• Closure and treatment to a level that facilitates future use for management activities.

• Closure, treatment, and reconnection to applicable drainage networks (usually involves culvert 

removal which limits potential for future use).

• Closure, removal and reshaping to natural contours, treatment and stabilization, and natural 

landscape and drainage restoration.

Determine the appropriate level of treatment based on the associated severity of environmental effects of 

existing roads, trails, and landings; future access requirements; and short-term disturbance effects during 

closure and treatment activities.
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NRCS, NHCP

October 2017

Treatment must result in physical conditions and a configuration that achieve the stated purpose and 

objective(s). Approved technology tools will be used to support design and specifications development 

such as prediction models for erosion, hydrology and hydraulics, soil mechanics and slope stability, and 

wildlife/habitat interactions.

Closure and treatment activities and final conditions and configuration will minimize adverse onsite and 

offsite effects such as water and wind erosion including particulate matter/dust generation, concentrated 

flows to unprotected areas, destabilization of slopes and mass wasting, riparian area or wetland 

degradation, stream channel and streambank damage, barriers to aquatic organism and wildlife 

movement or migration, hydrologic modification, or other water resource damage. Any seep or spring 

that is on or associated with the area to be treated must not be buried under fill nor have its drainage 

concentrated through unarmored fill areas. Seeps and springs must be reconnected to appropriate 

drainage networks.

Equipment types will be sufficient to implement treatments to the designated level. Treatment and 

construction techniques will be scheduled to minimize soil erosion, displacement, compaction, aesthetics 

degradation, safety concerns, barriers to wildlife movement, or unacceptable damage to adjacent areas.

All levels of treatment will use measures applicable to that level such as, but not limited to—

• Permanent or temporary traffic barriers and caution signage.

• Excavating and reshaping of roads, trails, landings, and drainage ways to restore natural conditions 

including culvert removal and reconnection of the site areas to appropriate drainage networks.

• Ripping to improve infiltration and vegetation root growth.

• Stockpiling and spreading topsoil and, in some cases, importing.

• Rolling road and trail grades to disperse runoff of selected segments to be closed.

• Control of nuisance, noxious, or invasive species.

• Reestablishing adapted vegetation including mulch and soil amendments as necessary to enhance 

establishment.

Treatments to restore natural topography and surface hydrology will result in stable slopes and be 

compatible with existing land uses in the vicinity.

Minimize indirect adverse impacts or effects of the practice on species with declining populations, 

particularly aquatic species in streams or wetlands downslope of project area.

Sites containing hazardous material must be cleaned prior to the establishment of this practice following 

all local, State, and Federal regulatory requirements. Appropriate actions to clean sites suspected of 

containing hazardous wastes must be based on soil tests.

To control emissions of particulate matter to the air during closure and treatment operations, use a dust 

palliative or other method of dust control on bare and disturbed surfaces.

Design, construction criteria, and specifications of other practices used in combination with this practice 

must be integrated and compatible to conduct closure and treatment activities and achieve specified final 

conditions and configuration. Criteria for design of components not addressed in NRCS practice 

standards must be consistent with professional engineering practices.

CONSIDERATIONS

For roads, trails, or landings deemed unsuitable as candidates for closure and treatment, consider 

upgrading specifications and operation-maintenance provisions of the existing Conservation Practice 

Standards (CPSs) Access Road (Code 560) and Forest Trails and Landings (Code 655) to achieve 

conservation objectives. In these cases, install complementary practices and measures concurrently 

while upgrading road, trails, and landings.
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NRCS, NHCP

October 2017

Compacted areas will need bulk density tests at various depths to assure treatment specifications are 

adequate to reestablish hydrologic function and vegetation.

Use native species when establishing vegetation, especially those having multiple values, (e.g., biomass, 

nuts, fruit, browse, nesting, and aesthetics). Avoid use of introduced or exotic species that could become 

nuisances.

In areas where steepness of slope and severity of cut and fill operation preclude returning side cast to 

create a rooting medium, assess the road base for ripping and usage as a rooting medium. If not

suitable as a rooting medium, suitable haul-in topsoil/fill material may be needed. Assure that such 

material is free of weeds, seeds, and contaminants.

Road sites are typically nutrient poor. Consider soil amendments or organic matter, as appropriate, to 

accelerate the rate of revegetation.

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Plans and specifications for this practice must be prepared for the specific site conditions in accordance 

with this standard and describe the requirements for applying the practice to achieve its intended 

purpose. These items must describe the location; the designated level of treatment; the kind, amount 

and quality of materials and acceptable equipment to be used; and the sequence, timing and details of 

closure-treatment activities.

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

Operation and maintenance must include periodic monitoring and weather event-based patrolling of 

completed sites to determine adverse environmental effects and the condition of vegetation established 

on disturbed areas. Dying or dead vegetation must be replaced as necessary. Control of nuisance, 

noxious, or invasive species will be continued.

Initial monitoring and patrolling must be conducted during water and/or wind erosive period(s) as needed 

until the site is determined to be stable. Stabilizing measures and additional treatment will be applied 

when and where necessary.

REFERENCES

Borlander, P. and A. Yamada. 1999. Dust palliative selection and application guide. Project Report 

9977-1207-SDTDC San Dimas Technology Development Center, USDA, Forest Service, San Dimas, 

CA. Available at https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdf/hi_res/99771207hi.pdf.

Merrill, B.R. and E. Casaday. 2001. Field techniques for forest and range road removal. California State 

Parks, Sacramento, CA. Available at: 

http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/23071/files/field%20techniques%20for%20road%20removal%20part%20

2.pdf.

Moll, J. 1996. A guide for road closure and obliteration in the Forest Service. San Dimas Technology 

and Development Center, USDA Forest Service, San Dimas, CA. Available at: 

https://www.fs.fed.us/eng/pubs/pdfimage/96771205.pdf.

Switalski, T.A., et al. Benefits and impacts of road removal. The Ecological Society of America, Front. 

Ecol. Environ. 2004. 2(1): 21–28. Available at 

http://www.fs.fed.us/rm/pubs_other/rmrs_2004_switalski_t001.pdf.