The article discusses the trade-offs in ecosystem services (ES) across space, time, and reversibility. Trade-offs occur when the provision of one ES is reduced due to increased use of another, and can be explicit or implicit. These trade-offs are classified along three axes: spatial scale (local vs. distant), temporal scale (rapid vs. slow), and reversibility (likelihood of returning to original state). The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment scenarios and case studies show a preference for provisioning, regulating, and cultural services, with supporting services often taken for granted. Cultural ES are rarely quantified, leading to underestimation of their losses. Successful management policies should incorporate lessons learned from past decisions and include monitoring programs to address long-term and slowly changing variables. Effective strategies must recognize the complexities of ecosystem management and minimize the effects of ES trade-offs.The article discusses the trade-offs in ecosystem services (ES) across space, time, and reversibility. Trade-offs occur when the provision of one ES is reduced due to increased use of another, and can be explicit or implicit. These trade-offs are classified along three axes: spatial scale (local vs. distant), temporal scale (rapid vs. slow), and reversibility (likelihood of returning to original state). The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment scenarios and case studies show a preference for provisioning, regulating, and cultural services, with supporting services often taken for granted. Cultural ES are rarely quantified, leading to underestimation of their losses. Successful management policies should incorporate lessons learned from past decisions and include monitoring programs to address long-term and slowly changing variables. Effective strategies must recognize the complexities of ecosystem management and minimize the effects of ES trade-offs.