Humans rely on forests for many ecological benefits like fiber, timber, food, water, shelter, recreation, and inspiration. Forests are complex systems that are viewed, assessed, and valued differently according to different objectives and it is this complexity of composition and function that not only defines forests but contributes to their resilience, and long-term persistence. Definitions of forest and management objectives reflect some of that complexity as they are based on diverse and changing societal needs and values. Managing this complexity while benefiting from the goods and services provided by managed forests is a challenge, one that increases with the increased demands of a global population, and the ongoing and increasing effects of climate change.Conservation of ecosystem services on managed forest landscapes is expected by customers, stakeholders, regulators, and market-based mechanisms such as forest certification systems (e.g., the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council, American Tree Farm System, and Canadian Standards Association). Understanding how changes to forest management systems affect ecological processes (e.g., carbon sequestration, habitat characteristics and wildlife populations, cycling processes) is integral to informing forest management and policy and meeting expectations of stakeholders and certification systems. Managed forests represent a significant fraction of forests in North America, and thus represent a significant source of carbon sequestration, biodiversity provisioning, water filtration, alongside their role in providing fiber and low-carbon wood products. Understanding the ecological processes and functions of these landscapes is important for improving the management of these complex environments. This session will discuss forests as complex systems and the contribution of managed forests to ecological processes at the local to continental scale and across various systems and taxa. The goal of the session is to better understand the role that management plays in maintaining complex forest systems, and to consider potential research avenues to better manage them for long-term resiliency and sustainability.