Recognition that the cumulative effects of human activity require mitigation is one of many factors contributing to a global call to change the ways people think about and work the Earth — a call to repair what is broken and degraded and to maintain and/or protect what works. Accordingly, societies around the world are exploring the type of change required and the ways of implementing it. Routinely, this change is expressed through the lofty concepts of sustainable development, ecosystem management, and ecosystem health — three prominent catch phrases that now permeate the scientific and popular media, and form the basis of a growing number of private sector, government, and academic programs. In a state of constant redefinition and reconfiguration, these words generate a variety of responses (e.g., inspiration, anger, enlightenment, and confusion) from people who must interpret their meaning and translate their intent into tangible action in, on, and above Earth’s landscapes and waterscapes. Can the concepts denoted by these words be described in practical terms and usefully applied? If so, how are they related? This discussion paper briefly explores the definition and application of these concepts as a context for programs (e.g., restoration and reclamation) designed and implemented in support of efforts to keep Earth’s landscapes and waterscapes working.