Micah Elias

Strategic leader building markets for nature-based solutions through partnerships with utilities and corporations. Expert in quantifying and monetizing ecosystem benefits across carbon, water, wildfire risk mitigation, and biodiversity with proven success scaling beneficiary contributions and translating peer-reviewed research into actionable conservation finance mechanisms.

• Ethan Yackulic and Micah Elias et al. “Rising from the ashes: treatments stabilize carbon storage in California’s frequent-fire forests.” Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2025.
• Delacote et al. “Restoring credibility in carbon offsets through systemic ex post evaluation.” Nature Sustainability. 2025.
• Delacote et al. “Strong transparency required for carbon credit mechanisms.” Nature Sustainability. 2024.
• Elias et al. “Carbon finance for fire adapted forests.” Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. 2025.
• Elias et al. “Market analysis of coupled biochar and carbon credit production from wildfire fuel reduction projects in the Western U.S.” Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining. 2024.
• Elias et al. “Financial analysis of innovative wood products and carbon finance to support forest restoration in California.” Forest Products Journal. 2023.
• Quesnel Seipp, Kimberly, Tessa Mauer, Micah Elias, Phil Saksa et al. “A multi-benefit framework for funding forest management implementation in fire-driven ecosystems across the Western U.S.” Journal of Environmental Management. 2023.
• Elias et al. “Biochar Carbon Credit Market Analysis: Examining the potential for coupled biochar and carbon credit production from wildfire fuel reduction projects in the Western U.S.” Blue Forest Conservation. 44 pp. 2022.
• Sara Nelson, Patrick Bigger, Micah Elias, and Andrew Schuldt, "High Roads to Resilience: Building equitable forest restoration economies in California and beyond." Climate and Community Project. 2022.
• Micah Elias and Robin Marsh. “Innovations in Agriculture and Food Systems Sustainability in California.” Case Studies in the Environment. 2019.
• Barbara Haya, Ivy So, and Micah Elias. “Voluntary Registry Offsets Database.” Berkeley Carbon Trading Project, Center for Environmental Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley. 2021.

• Leading strategic development of frontier revenue streams for Forest Resilience Bonds, designing market mechanisms for wildfire resilience
• Scaling beneficiary contributions to Forest Resilience Bonds through strategic partnerships with corporate entities and utilities forest carbon, biochar production, and wildfire risk reduction operational investments
• Initiated $60 million Forest Resilience Fund catalyzing private investment in forest restoration and biomass utilization enterprises
• Advised the methodological development of IFM for wildfire resilience and biochar protocols
• Published peer-reviewed research in Nature and Frontiers on environmental markets, conservation finance, and forest restoration
• Created first open-source voluntary carbon market offset database through Berkeley Carbon Trading Project
• Guided University of California and Fortune 500 companies through strategic investments in high-quality carbon offsets
• Managed international agricultural supply chains valued over $10 million across six countries in Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia

• Ethan Yackulic and Micah Elias et al. “Rising from the ashes: treatments stabilize carbon storage in California’s frequent-fire forests.” Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 2025.
• Delacote et al. “Restoring credibility in carbon offsets through systemic ex post evaluation.” Nature Sustainability. 2025.
• Delacote et al. “Strong transparency required for carbon credit mechanisms.” Nature Sustainability. 2024.
• Elias et al. “Carbon finance for fire adapted forests.” Frontiers in Ecology and Environment. 2025.
• Elias et al. “Market analysis of coupled biochar and carbon credit production from wildfire fuel reduction projects in the Western U.S.” Biofuels, Bioproducts, and Biorefining. 2024.
• Elias et al. “Financial analysis of innovative wood products and carbon finance to support forest restoration in California.” Forest Products Journal. 2023.
• Quesnel Seipp, Kimberly, Tessa Mauer, Micah Elias, Phil Saksa et al. “A multi-benefit framework for funding forest management implementation in fire-driven ecosystems across the Western U.S.” Journal of Environmental Management. 2023.
• Elias et al. “Biochar Carbon Credit Market Analysis: Examining the potential for coupled biochar and carbon credit production from wildfire fuel reduction projects in the Western U.S.” Blue Forest Conservation. 44 pp. 2022.
• Sara Nelson, Patrick Bigger, Micah Elias, and Andrew Schuldt, "High Roads to Resilience: Building equitable forest restoration economies in California and beyond." Climate and Community Project. 2022.
• Micah Elias and Robin Marsh. “Innovations in Agriculture and Food Systems Sustainability in California.” Case Studies in the Environment. 2019.
• Barbara Haya, Ivy So, and Micah Elias. “Voluntary Registry Offsets Database.” Berkeley Carbon Trading Project, Center for Environmental Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley. 2021.