When considered as an ecosystem, the Great Lakes are experiencing warmer water, changing water levels, a longer ice-free season, and earlier spring runoff. Invasive species are on the move, and there are active efforts to manage and control their migration. This is all taking place in a human-managed landscape that consists of large urban areas, rural–urban interfaces, and rural–wildland interfaces. To be successful in addressing these challenges, solutions will need to take into account the social, economic, and cultural factors involved, as well as natural needs of the area. The broader need for ecological restoration in what is now a human-dominated landscape is not unique to the Great Lakes.