A Profile of David Zimov

Sergey Zimov and Nikita Zimov of Russia’s Ecological Foundation are working in Siberia’s remote corners to combat climate change by restoring Beringia with grasslands that reflect more sunlight back onto the Arctic region.

However, in doing so they are also emitting billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the air while simultaneously thawing permafrost and uncovering prehistoric layers of ooze.

Early Life and Education

David Zimov was raised as the son of a Soviet naval officer and has an unconventional mindset. When beginning his research, he challenged the popular theory that warming temperatures disrupted Arctic ecosystems and drove megafauna like mammoths and bison into extinction; instead he believes human hunting to be more responsible.

Zimov’s vision and reality remain vastly disparate; his wife, Nina Zimov has struggled mightily in keeping alive a small population of herbivores like moose and foxes at their Pleistocene Park in Chersky despite having no support from government sources; nonetheless his persistence is testament to his belief that Arctic megafauna will flourish for future generations.

Professional Career

David Zimov has distinguished himself in numerous professional capacities over his two-decade service to his country. With a degree in finance from University of Cincinnati and experience working for international business for an elite security company, david now holds several key positions at United States Department of State (including serving as Senior Foreign Service Officer responsible for Central America & Caribbean region with multiple awards & accolades and being honored as Major in Army Reserve): Senior Foreign Service Officer responsible for Central American & Caribbean region as Senior Foreign Service Officer as well as serving on numerous advisory panels and task forces within that institution ( University of Cincinnati graduate in Finance from University).

One of the highlights in David’s career has been helping to launch Pleistocene Park, a 160 km2 wildlife preserve located in Russia’s Arctic.

Personal Life

David Zimov has long fought climate change by trying to stem its rise through geophysics research in Siberia’s Arctic region. A geophysicist by profession, Zimov first warned years ago of how permafrost contained enough carbon to pose a significant threat if melted.

But big science quickly disregarded his plea. Today, however, as permafrost melts and temperatures in the Arctic rise twice as rapidly as elsewhere worldwide, everyone is taking notice.

At the Northeastern Station, which is staffed all year long, scientists reside with their families. When too cold to conduct field work, they stay indoors in its cozy library to work on research papers or travel to scientific conferences.