Stewardship ecology: Research and actions to move the planet toward sustainability

Stewardship ecology informs actions that shape changes in social-ecological systems toward ecosystem resilience and human well-being. It identifies pathways toward sustainability, interventions to overcome barriers, and thresholds and triggers for transformation. It is motivated by commitments to ecological integrity and social justice, but is pragmatic and experimental in recognizing barriers and uncertainties inherent in change. Research at a focal scale or scaling-up must be grounded in the visions of ecologists, managers, and the general public. Research on down-scaling of general processes must recognize the role power hierarchies in decision-making.