Federal officials have closed a series of dispersed campsites on Morrison Run Road.

The Forest Service announced on Tuesday that a decision notice was signed to restrict overnight camping usage of a total of eight sites in the first mile of Morrison Run Road.

Camping will also be prohibited for 500 feet on either side of the road.

The area remains open for day-use activities.

A scoping letter prepared for the project explained that there are a total of eight sites in that first mile — the first three used particularly heavily. The remaining five sites don’t see as much pressure but federal officials highlight “narrowness and close proximity to the stream” as factors that increase user impacts.

That document pointed out that here are few places to park off road which can lead to congestion on the road itself, sanitation problems when campers don’t pack out or bury waste as well as “the loss of vegetation and soil compaction caused by visitor use is contributing to erosion along the stream, and these problems continue despite previous efforts to reduce erosion….”

Tuesday’s announcement said the decision will also address issues with people overstaying the 14-day limit for camping, enhance wildlife and stream conditions, reduce introduction of non-native plant species and improve soil conditions and water quality.

Dispersed camping — camping at unofficial sites such as these — is permissible in much of the forest with several exceptions, the most notable being the area around the Allegheny Reservoir.