Lake Fúquene is the most important shallow water body of the tropical northern highland Andes.Five centuries of transformations has changed the natural climatic -pulsing lake -wetland system into a confl icting human-regulated lake and drainage -irrigation district.Management responses are directed toward correction of the consequences of ecological change and affect key structuring variables in the direction of undesired change.Based upon models of ecosystem services and decision-making process, states and trajectory scenarios are proposed.Socio-ecological barriers to sustainable adaptive management were identifi ed.Following the resilience-based approach, a set of biophysical and social attributes were identifi ed to promote a societal agreement around a vision of a multi-functional lake -wetland system.An accurate management agenda is proposed to redirect undesired socio-ecological change to adaptive sustainability.