New Insights Into Tropical Forest Recovery Earn GEOG Graduate National Ecology Award

​Xueyuan (Eric) Gao, dressed in a yellow jacket, stands next to the bronze tiger at the front of Nassau Hall at Princeton University

Xueyuan (Eric) Gao’s paper was recently published in Nature Communications.

Xueyuan (Eric) Gao (Ph.D. '24 ), now a postdoctoral researcher at Princeton University, has been awarded the 2025 Early Career Ecologists Outstanding Paper Award by the Ecological Society of America.

The award honors Gao’s recent publication in Nature Communications, which is based on the final chapter of his Ph.D. dissertation: “Exploring and assessing land-based climate solutions using Earth observations, Earth system models, and integrated assessment models.” 

The publication examines how different types of forest regrowth, such as natural regeneration and managed tree systems, contribute to carbon storage in tropical regions. Using data from 1982 to 2015, Gao found that 56% of new tree cover came from naturally regenerated forests, compared to 27% from managed tree systems. The remaining 17% was made up of small, unmanaged patches.

The study highlights that differences in forest type are a major driver of how forests recover carbon. The findings raise questions about current reforestation efforts and underscore the need for better monitoring of how restored forests are classified and managed.

This is Gao’s second national recognition for dissertation research. In 2023, he received the American Association of Geographers Council Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Paper for a different chapter of his dissertation.

In May 2025, Gao was selected to serve as a Technical Expert Panel member for the Verra Sustainable Development Verified Impact Standard (SD VISta) Nature Framework, where he advises Verra—the largest standard in the voluntary carbon market—on the selection and evaluation of nature credit projects.

The department congratulates Gao for his achievements!

Image: ​Xueyuan (Eric) Gao stands next to the bronze tiger at the front of Nassau Hall at Princeton University.

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