As population increases, there is an increased pressure on our environment and ecosystems to provide livable situations and ample resources. Though there have been substantial net gains in economic development and human well-being, this comes at a price to our environment and common-pool resources such as forests and fisheries. Because of the lack of property rights and open-accessibility of common-pool resources, they are frequently over-harvested and mismanaged. This article analyzes what is necessary for the maintenance and sustainability of common-pool resources, including collaboration with local experts, active monitoring and enforcement, and investment in adaptive governance.