Our Story

  • 2022 - Establishment

    Founded by Jess Molasky, the Carbon Cactus Project was begun with the intention to promote the use of cactus pear for practical carbon sequestration in the desert environs of Southern Nevada. With the help of Jay Ram of Luther Burbank Coachella Agricultural Station, a variety of cactus pear was chosen for it’s suitability to Mojave Desert conditions, and the shared goal of planting a demonstrative farm in Southern Nevada for further research and propagation.

    LBCAS is now known as Desert Crop Development and is playing a pivotal role in the creation and ongoing operations of our pilot farm and nursery.

    Page detailing our partnership.

    https://desertcrops.com/carbon-cactus-foundation

  • Our Target Species

    The Sabrana variety, belonging to a hybrid between O. ficus-indica and O. lindheimeri. Extensively researched by the UNR, this variety is found to be an incredibly temperature resilient, water efficient, sturdy and tall growing strain of Opuntia. This variety produced high yields of biomass with characteristics suitable for biofuel production. (Neupane et al., 2024)

    This variety’s was also chosen for it’s fruit, producing quality flavor, sweetness and high flesh to seed ratio.

  • Tissue Culture Micropropagation

    2,500 tissue cultures of the Sabrana variety (Opuntia ficus-indica) were successfully cultivated over the course of 2 years. These clones were created from a small bit of tissue, provided with nutrients and growth regulators to create new plants with differentiated stems and roots. These are the first Opuntia ficus-indica plants to be cultured in the US.

    Tissue cultures collected from Clark County Cooperative Extension Service facilities location in Logandale, NV.

  • Root Establishment Begins

    After removal from their propagation medium, the cacti are carefully planted into trays within a greenhouse to protect these new plants from high UV exposure. Over the next year, these roots will develop before being placed into 1 gallon pots.

  • 2026 - Ready To Plant

    With the help of Daniel Medellin of Paradise Gardens in Coachella Valley, California, 2,500 Opuntia ficus-indica were planted in a highly nutritious soil mixture for accelerated root development. All original tissue cultures have successfully developed into strong cacti prepared for planting in the coming Fall.

    These cacti will serve as a foundation for undertaking traditional cladode propagation, where pads are cut from the larger plant, placed directly into pots for root development, and then transferred to the field, provided with drip irrigation.

The Team

  • Jess Molasky

    FOUNDER, BOARD CHAIR

    Born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, and COO of Ovation Co., Jess brings efficiency and innovation to this project and to the sustainable development of Southern Nevada. With the foresight to know that these regions will require suitable plants for a dryer, more drought prone future, he formed the Carbon Cactus Project in 2022 to adapt the agricultural landscape here. The Molasky family’s multigenerational legacy represents a driving force in the development Las Vegas since the early 1950s, and carried on to this day.

  • Zsolt Strieker

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Responsible for the nonprofit’s growth, development, and project management, Zsolt brings his experience in environmental restoration and nursery operations to further the vision and strategy of the Carbon Cactus Project. Working to implement mission objectives, Zsolt’s role spans from outreach, partnership and grant procurement, to on the ground farm operations and deployment.

  • Jay Ram

    PARTNER - DESERT CROP DEVELOPMENT

    Jay has played an integral role in the the Carbon Cactus Project’s early tissue culture micropropagation and development of project scope and future objectives. Jay’s 50 years of agricultural experience in arid crop agronomy, consulting and guidance of field and specialty crop advancement is critical to our project longevity. He will will assist in managing the initial build, and ongoing operations of the pilot farm, and incorporate various drought tolerant perennial species his business is advancing.