MARIENVILLE — The Marienville Ranger District of the Allegheny National Forest will close certain sites along Salmon Creek, Forest Service Road 145, to protect the area.

Starting Memorial Day weekend, camping in the Salmon Creek area will be in designated sites only.

“People love camping near water and repeated use over the course of the summer results in loss of vegetation, soil compaction and erosion, and human health issues from improper disposal of waste and trash,” Marienville District Recreation Team Leader Linda White said. “Parking numerous vehicles along the narrow road has also become an issue in recent years.”

She said the Forest Service is closing sites that are affected by such issues while keeping and improving sites that will be sustainable into the future.

Open campsites will be marked with numbers on brown fiberglass posts and stickers that read “Designated Campsite.” Closed sites will have stickers that read “Closed for Resource Protection.”

Issues in the area were analyzed in the Salmon West Environmental Assessment, signed Sept. 26, 2013, by District Ranger Rob Fallon.