Ecosystem stewardship is an action-oriented framework aimed at achieving social-ecological sustainability in a rapidly changing world. The paper outlines three key strategies: reducing vulnerability to known stresses, fostering resilience to adapt to change, and transforming systems when opportunities arise. These strategies emphasize adaptive capacity, resilience, and the need for proactive governance. Vulnerability to known stresses is addressed by reducing exposure and sensitivity, while resilience involves maintaining ecosystem and social indicators to detect early signs of degradation. Transforming systems requires identifying and avoiding unsustainable trajectories. The paper highlights the importance of maintaining biodiversity and socio-economic diversity to enhance adaptability. It also stresses the role of social learning and governance flexibility in adapting to uncertain changes. Adaptive management involves experimenting with policies to learn from outcomes, while polycentric governance distributes responsibilities across different scales to enhance resilience. Transforming to more favorable trajectories requires careful planning, transparent processes, and fostering resilience among stakeholders. The paper concludes that ecosystem stewardship is essential for sustainable development, emphasizing the need for innovation, adaptive capacity, and resilience. It calls for a shift from traditional management approaches to more proactive and inclusive strategies that consider the complex interactions between social and ecological systems. The integration of diverse knowledge systems and the promotion of social learning are critical for effective adaptation and transformation in a rapidly changing world.Ecosystem stewardship is an action-oriented framework aimed at achieving social-ecological sustainability in a rapidly changing world. The paper outlines three key strategies: reducing vulnerability to known stresses, fostering resilience to adapt to change, and transforming systems when opportunities arise. These strategies emphasize adaptive capacity, resilience, and the need for proactive governance. Vulnerability to known stresses is addressed by reducing exposure and sensitivity, while resilience involves maintaining ecosystem and social indicators to detect early signs of degradation. Transforming systems requires identifying and avoiding unsustainable trajectories. The paper highlights the importance of maintaining biodiversity and socio-economic diversity to enhance adaptability. It also stresses the role of social learning and governance flexibility in adapting to uncertain changes. Adaptive management involves experimenting with policies to learn from outcomes, while polycentric governance distributes responsibilities across different scales to enhance resilience. Transforming to more favorable trajectories requires careful planning, transparent processes, and fostering resilience among stakeholders. The paper concludes that ecosystem stewardship is essential for sustainable development, emphasizing the need for innovation, adaptive capacity, and resilience. It calls for a shift from traditional management approaches to more proactive and inclusive strategies that consider the complex interactions between social and ecological systems. The integration of diverse knowledge systems and the promotion of social learning are critical for effective adaptation and transformation in a rapidly changing world.