Ashley James
PRAIRIE VIEW, Texas (June 4, 2025) – Small landowners in East Texas could soon find themselves at the forefront of the climate economy, thanks to a major investment in Prairie View A&M University’s latest forestry initiative.
Ashley James, program leader of Agriculture & Natural Resources at PVAMU, has secured more than $1.5 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service. Her groundbreaking project, the Small Landowner Carbon Collective Engagement Project, aims to open doors for families and farmers who own modest forested plots—typically under 2,500 acres—by connecting them to the fast-growing forest carbon marketplace, where landowners can earn income for managing forests in ways that store carbon and help fight climate change.
Dr. Elliott Washington, also of PVAMU, will serve as co-principal investigator on the project.
The initiative will provide participants with personalized forest management plans and a cooperative support model to guide them into carbon markets with reduced financial risk and complexity. It’s part of a broader effort to make climate-smart forestry more accessible.
The project builds on a proof-of-concept initiative led by Texas-based universities and nonprofits that are deeply rooted in local communities, leveraging their experience to expand access and impact across the region.
Backed by this new round of funding, PVAMU is helping small landowners become climate leaders while building stronger, more resilient landscapes across East Texas.
A modified version of this story was originally posted at pvamu.edu/research.
-PVAMU-