The Tropical Landscape Dynamics research cluster’s roadmap provides a systematic and integrated pathway toward achieving sustainable tropical watershed management in Indonesia. By progressing through three critical phases—watershed and climate change detection, land use dynamics and hydrological modeling, and hazards identification across upstream, middle-stream, and downstream segments—this research framework ensures a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions between climate, soil, water, and landscapes. The integration of multi-scale modeling approaches (SWAT at watershed scale and HECHMS at hill-slope scale) with socio-cultural considerations enables the transformation of scientific knowledge into actionable solutions. Ultimately, this roadmap positions the research cluster to generate evidence-based strategies that address environmental degradation, climate uncertainty, and resource pressures, thereby contributing meaningfully to the resilience and long-term sustainability of Indonesia’s tropical watersheds.