This case examines how BCarbon, a nonprofit in East Texas, is working with Prairie View A&M University and the U.S. Business Council for Sustainable Development to help historically underserved small-acreage landowners participate in carbon markets. Through the Prairie View Small Landowner Carbon Collaborative (SLCC), the partners aim to create a self-sustaining carbon cooperative that provides new income opportunities and supports sustainable land management. The case challenges students to explore how BCarbon can build trust with landowners who have experienced discrimination, as well as how to address operational, communication, and ethical issues involved in using market-based approaches to reduce social, economic, and environmental inequities.

• Recognize the historical and socioeconomic challenges faced by small-acreage landowners in East Texas and their impacts on decision-making.
• Identify the key stakeholders involved in the SLCC project and define their roles, interests, influence, and resources.
• Evaluate strategies to build trust and engagement with a historically underserved population through exploring stakeholder collaboration and communication in a community-focused project.