The Conservation Alternative emphasizes the use of the best available science to protect forest health on the Black Hills National Forest by restoring the forest to its natural condition and promoting diversity. This alternative requires the creation and maintenance of late successional forest across the landscape, emphasizes the use of science to protect species viability and important habitats, uses the best available science to protect homes and communities from fire by focusing on fuels reduction treatments within the wildland urban interface, and still provides for sustainable timber harvesting. Additional Research Natural Areas are proposed to protect important plant communities and other important ecological features on the Black Hills National Forest, and to provide increased opportunities for scientific research and education. Some of the major components of the Conservation Alternative include:

• Establishes scientifically-based population objectives for management indicator species, which include brown creeper, three-toed woodpecker, ruffed grouse, American dipper, beaver, common yellowthroat, black-backed woodpecker, pine marten, and mountain sucker (pp. 4-5).
• Provides for wildfire protection through judicious fuels management in the wildland urban interface (p. 8).
• Provides that 20% of the Black Hills National Forest be managed as old growth, with an additional 20% managed as old growth recruitment (pp. 12-15).
• Retains all snags in unburned areas. Provides snag retention measures for areas proposed for post-fire salvage logging (pp. 17-19).
• Increases down woody debris retention for wildlife (p. 19).
• Ensures viable populations of plants and animals are maintained in accordance with National Forest management regulations (p. 24).
• Provides protection for the protection and management of 70 animal and plant "survey and manage species" (pp. 25-29).
• Provides additional protection for pine marten dispersal corridors (p. 29).
• Provides landscape-level protection of northern goshawk habitat and increased protection for nesting habitat (pp. 29-31).
• Provides additional protection for sensitive amphibians (p. 2), as well as additional protection for wetlands and stream habitats.
• Establishes a "closed unless designated open" travel management policy. Also limits road densities and prescribes measures to restore heavily roaded landscapes to protect wildlife (p. 39).
• Recommends all roadless areas be designated by Congress as Wilderness to increase backcountry recreation opportunities and to protect important habitats (p. 38).
• Proposes 23 Research Natural Areas that protect a diverse array of plant and animal communities and other unique ecological features, and provide opportunities for scientific research and education (p. 38).
• Provides new direction for how recommended wilderness and RNAs shall be managed (pp. 41-44).
• Provides for fuels treatments within the wildland urban interface to protect homes and communities. Emphasizes creation of older, more fire resistant forest as means for long-term fire protection.