The Arctic permafrost is quickly melting, and the consequences of this global warming could be catastrophic. In a race against time, a Russian geophysicist Dr. Sergei Zimov and his son Nikita have taken on an ambitious project to recreate an ecosystem as close to the Pleistocene era – the Ice Age – as possible in order to prevent further melting of the permafrost.
The frozen tundra of Siberia holds a climatic bomb that is very real for our planet. The permafrost contains microbes that, if thawed, could drastically alter world climate beyond our control. To contain this threat, Sergei and Nikita have set up their Pleistocene Park in northern Siberia with the intention to restore the ice age ecosystem to help combat climate change.
In their endeavor, they are re-wilding the land with animals such as horses, bison, musk oxen and deer which were all extinct from that region thousands of years ago. They have also planted thick forests of larch trees that once flourished during the Ice Age but were cut down by humans for firewood long ago. These efforts will help keep temperatures cool enough so that it won’t thaw out completely when summer arrives each year.
The work of these two brave individuals is truly inspiring and serves as a reminder that hope exists even in dark times like this one where global warming threatens us all. If you want to learn more about their daring mission and how they are fighting global warming at its core, watch the documentary “Pleistocene Park: Re-Wilding Siberia” which chronicles their journey through stunning visuals and powerful interviews from experts in the field.
