Fire ecologist Don Falk named 2026 ESA Fellow

Donald Falk, a professor in the School of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research at the University of Arizona, has been named a 2026 Fellow of the Ecological Society of America.

He is one of eight scientists selected as Fellows this year. The honor recognizes members whose work has made lasting contributions to ecological science and its application in areas including land management, education and policy. Fellows are elected for life. 

Falk’s research focuses on how fire shapes ecosystems over time and how those systems recover and adapt in a changing climate. Using tree-ring records and long-term ecological data, he studies patterns of fire and resilience across landscapes in the western United States. His work helps land managers and communities better understand risk and make informed decisions about forests and rangelands.

Within CALES School of Natural Resources & the Environment, Falk teaches and mentors students working at the intersection of ecology, climate and society. He chairs degree programs in Global Change Ecology and Management and is affiliated with the Arizona Institutes for Resilience, where researchers from across campus work on challenges related to adaptation and sustainability.

Falk has also contributed to international climate efforts. He served as a delegate to the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, bringing expertise in fire ecology and ecosystem resilience to global discussions.

Over the course of his career, Falk has helped shape the field of ecological restoration. He was co-founder and executive director of the Center for Plant Conservation and the first executive director of the Society for Ecological Restoration. He is also a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a recipient of the Ecological Society of America’s Deevey Award and the University of Arizona’s Eminent Researcher award.

The Ecological Society of America will recognize the 2026 Fellows on July 27 at its annual meeting in Salt Lake City. Click here to learn more about the ESA 2026 Fellows.