Alumnus creates forest investment strategies that benefit all

Daniel Crawford was working at the intersection of forestry and finance — appraising forestland assets, supporting acquisitions, overseeing investment funds and raising investment capital — when, about five years ago, he sensed a major shift in the industry. As carbon markets began to materially expand, he pivoted, and since then, his career has centered on developing investment strategies tied to carbon credits.

“I found myself at the center of a rapidly developing industry where forestry, climate and finance were all converging,” he said. “In many ways, it feels like the culmination of all the threads that began at Auburn: a commitment to sound forest management, the ability to translate science into strategy and a belief that healthy, well-managed forests can deliver both ecological and economic value.”

A native of Birmingham, Alabama, Crawford started out at Auburn as an architecture major, but a day shadowing a family member who was a forester proved to be a lightbulb moment, and he soon switched to the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE).

“I didn’t grow up hunting or fishing, but I had always loved nature and the outdoors,” he said. “Spending that day with my brother-in-law helped me understand that I could pursue a career in forestry with a specific focus on the financial side of the business.”