A trans-interdisciplinary holistic approach, which merges the knowledge of theoretical and field biologist, ecological modelers, environmental decision-makers and research, educational, political, and healthcare institutions, would improve our capacity to reduce our impacts on Earth's systems and live more sustainably within Gaia. Improved and reliable ecological models can, for instance, help our species to better protect biodiversity and halt its loss, plan habitat and endangered species conservation, assess and preserve ecosystem services, manage and contrast the spread of alien species, decrease deforestation and overfishing, reduce air, water, and soil pollution, adapt to and limit climate change, and – eventually – enhance our species’ health, reducing the risk of pandemic diffusion of resistant viruses and bacteria caused by our mistreatment of wildlife and ecosystems. This can re-establish the importance of ecological modelling in fostering the transfer of theoretical scientific knowledge into practical everyday problems and in enabling environmental policymakers to adopt sustainable actions.