Today's complex environmental decisions can require observational data, models, and forecasts about the geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. Yet, relative to the meteorological community, the environmental community has been slow to adopt satellite observations for operational use – the “valley of death” between research and operations remains difficult to cross. As the economy and population grow, and the climate changes, the challenges of environmental decision-making continue to increase. What is needed is an “ecosystem of systems” in which traditional, in situ environmental monitoring systems interoperate with satellite and other remote sensing systems, new-generation models, and decision support systems. An ecosystem of systems approach may be a more realistic and adaptive way to meet environmental decision-making needs than a system of systems. Perhaps it is fitting to apply lessons from the natural world to our efforts to manage human systems and natural ecosystems harmoniously.