342-CPS-1

NRCS, NHCP

September 2016

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 

Critical Area Planting

Code 342

(Ac)

DEFINITION

Establishing permanent vegetation on sites that have, or are expected to have, high erosion rates, and 

on sites that have physical, chemical, or biological conditions that prevent the establishment of vegetation 

with normal seeding/planting methods.

PURPOSE

• Stabilize areas with existing or expected high rates of soil erosion by wind or water.

• Stabilize stream and channel banks, pond and other shorelines, earthen features of structural 

conservation practices.

• Stabilize areas such as sand dunes and riparian areas.

CONDITIONS WHERE PRACTICE APPLIES

This practice applies to highly disturbed areas such as—

• Active or abandoned mined lands.

• Urban restoration sites.

• Construction areas.

• Conservation practice construction sites.

• Areas needing stabilization before or after natural disasters such as floods, hurricanes, tornados,

and wildfires.

• Eroded banks of natural channels, banks of newly constructed channels, and lake shorelines.

• Other areas degraded by human activities or natural events.

CRITERIA

General Criteria Applicable to All Purposes

Site preparation. Conduct a site investigation to identify any physical, chemical, or biological conditions 

that could affect the successful establishment of vegetation. 

Clear areas to be planted of unwanted materials and smooth or shape, if needed, to meet planting 

purpose(s). 

Prepare a suitable seedbed for all seeded species. Rip compacted layers and re-firm the soil prior to 

seedbed preparation, as needed. 

As site conditions dictate, when grading slopes, stockpile topsoil to be redistributed over area to be 

planted.
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NRCS, NHCP

September 2016

Species selection. Select species for seeding or planting that are suited to local site conditions and 

intended uses, and common to the site or location.

Selected species will have the capacity to achieve adequate density and vigor to stabilize the site within 

an appropriate period.

Establishment of vegetation. Plant seeds using the method or methods best suited to site and soil 

conditions.

Limit sod placement to areas that can naturally supply needed moisture or sites that can be irrigated 

during the establishment period. Place and anchor sod using techniques to ensure that it remains in 

place until established. 

Specify species, rates of seeding or planting, legume inoculation, minimum quality of planting stock (e.g.,

pure live seed (PLS) or stem caliper), method of seedbed preparation, and method of establishment 

before application. Use only viable, high-quality seed or planting stock.

Seed or plant at a time and in a manner that best ensures establishment and growth of the selected

species.

Plant during approved times for the species to be used.

Apply soil amendments (e.g., lime, fertilizer, compost) according to the requirements in the local Field 

Office Technical Guide.

Mulch or otherwise stabilize (e.g., polyacrylamide (PAM)) plantings as necessary to ensure successful 

establishment.

Additional Criteria to Stabilize Stream and Channel Banks, Pond and Other Shorelines, Earthen 

Features of Structural Conservation Practices

Bank and channel slopes. Shape channel side slopes so that they are stable and allow establishment 

and maintenance of desired vegetation.

A combination of vegetative and structural measures may be necessary on slopes steeper than 3:1 to 

ensure adequate stability.

Species selection. Plant material used for this purpose must—

• Be adapted to the hydrologic zone into which they will be planted.

• Be adapted and proven in the regions in which they will be used.

• Be compatible with existing vegetation in the area.

• Protect the channel banks but not restrict channel capacity.

Establishment of vegetation. Specify species, planting rates, spacing, methods and dates of planting 

based on local planting guides or technical notes. 

Identify and protect desirable existing vegetation during practice installation.

Use a combination of vegetative and structural practices with living and inert material when flow 

velocities, soils, and bank stability preclude stabilization by vegetative establishment alone. Use 

Conservation Practice Standard (CPS) Streambank Stabilization (Code 580) for the structural measures.

Control existing vegetation on a site that will compete with species to be established vegetatively (e.g..

bare-root, containerized, ball-and-burlap, potted) to ensure successful establishment of the planted 

species.
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September 2016

Plant streambank stabilization vegetation in accordance with the NRCS Engineering Field Handbook Part 

650, Chapter 16, “Streambank and Shoreline Protection,” and Chapter 18, “Soil Bioengineering for 

Upland Slope Protection & Erosion Reduction.”

Site protection and access control. Restrict access to planted areas until fully established. 

Additional Criteria to Stabilize Areas Such As Sand Dunes and Riparian Areas

Plants for sand dunes and coastal sites must be able to survive being buried by blowing sand, sand 

blasting, salt spray, salt water flooding, drought, heat, and low nutrient supply. 

Include sand trapping devices such as sand fences or brush matting in the revegetation/stabilization 

plans where applicable. 

CONSIDERATIONS

Species or diverse mixes that are adapted to the site and have multiple benefits should be considered. 

Native species may be used when appropriate for the site. 

To benefit pollinators and other wildlife, flowering shrubs and wildflowers with resilient root systems and 

good soil-holding capacity also should be considered for incorporation as a small percentage of a larger 

grass-dominated planting. Where appropriate consider a diverse mixture of forbs to support pollinator 

habitat.

Planning and installation of other CPSs such as Diversion (Code 362), Obstruction Removal (Code 500), 

Subsurface Drain (Code 606), Underground Outlet (Code 620), or Anionic Polyacrylamide Application 

(Code 450) may be necessary to prepare the area or ensure vegetative establishment. 

Areas of vegetation established with this practice can create habitat for various type of wildlife. 

Maintenance activities, such as mowing or spraying, can have detrimental effects on certain species. 

Perform management activities at the times and in a manner that causes the least disruption to wildlife.

PLANS AND SPECIFICATIONS

Prepare plans and specifications for each field or management unit according to the criteria and 

operation and maintenance sections of this standard. Record practice specifications using approved 

Implementation Requirements document.

Address the following elements in the plan, as applicable, to meet the intended purpose(s):

• Practice purpose(s)

• Site preparation

• Topsoil requirements

• Fertilizer application

• Seedbed/planting area preparation

• Timing and method of seeding/planting

• Selection of species

• Seed/plant source

• Seed analysis/pure live seed (PLS)

• Seeding rate/plant spacing

• Mulching, PAM, or other stabilizing materials

• Supplemental water needed for establishment

• Protection of plantings

• Describe successful establishment (e.g., minimum percent ground/canopy cover, percent survival, 

stand density)
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NRCS, NHCP

September 2016

OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE

• Control access to the area to ensure the site remains stable.

• Protect plantings shall be protected from pests (e.g., weeds, insects, diseases, livestock, or wildlife) 

as necessary to ensure long-term survival.

• Inspections, reseeding or replanting, and fertilization may be needed to ensure that this practice 

functions as intended throughout its expected life. 

• Observe establishment progress and success at regular intervals until the practice has met the 

criteria for successful establishment and implementation.

• Description of successful establishment (e.g., minimum percent ground/canopy cover, percent 

survival, stand density).

REFERENCES

Federal Interagency Stream Restoration Working Group. 1998. Stream corridor restoration: principles, 

processes, and practices. USDA NRCS National Engineering Handbook, Part 653.

USDA NRCS. 2007. National Engineering Handbook, Part 654. Stream restoration guide.

USDA NRCS. 2015. The PLANTS Database (http://plants.usda.gov, 8 December 2015). National Plant 

Data Team, Greensboro, NC.