Robert Woodmansee believes the most important question facing society is: CAN IMPORTANT AND DESIRABLE ECOSYSTEMS BE SUSTAINED LOCALLY, REGIONALLY, AND ON EARTH FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS? Seeking effective means of addressing this question Dr. Woodmansee, for the past few years, have been shifting his career emphasis from active science administration and focused field research to exploring new means of integrating of ecosystem science, management and policy at landscape and regional scales. The pahtway to this new emphasis is developing new methodologies for traditional and professional learning, communication and collaboration. He is making this change because he feels that the science he has devoted a career to and believes in is not being used sufficiently by people who make "on-the ground" decisions about land use planning and management. Until ecosystem science is integrated into practical and useful tools for everyday decision making, our society will continue to manage its resources and the environment based on ignorance, myths and political whim. Recognizing that science is essential, but not sufficient alone, the required integration requires cross-boundary perspectives that effectively blend bio-physical, social and cultural, economic, and political realities.