Social and cultural dimensions
The project is privately run and has become a destination for international scientists and students who want to conduct research in the area. The project is overseen by Zimov and his family, who have lived at the North-East Scientific Station for over twenty years. Zimov’s son, Nikita, is the Director of the park and Zimov heads research at the scientific station. Various staff have assisted in implementing the project, for example: two employees live within the park year round to look after the animals and maintain the scientific equipment (Pleistocene Park, Park, n.d.). According to the official Pleistocene Park website, over fifteen scientific projects were being conducted in the park in 2014, with visits from 50-70 scientists yearly (Pleistocene Park: North-East Scientific Station update, 2014).
In 2014, a new reserve was opened called “Wild Field” located in the southern branch of Pleistocene Park in the Tula region. Wild Field was created as an outreach project to show the public “how real wild nature should look like” (Pleistocene Park, Opening of the new reserve, 2014). In his manifesto for Wild Field, Zimov states that he hopes to have an animal density higher than that in the reserves of Africa, where millions of people visit yearly. In the same way, “Wild Field can be visited by train on the weekend…it is important to show our kids real wild nature – the nature of their ancestors” (Zimov, Wild Field Manifest: p.10).
In 2014, a new reserve was opened called “Wild Field” located in the southern branch of Pleistocene Park in the Tula region. Wild Field was created as an outreach project to show the public “how real wild nature should look like” (Pleistocene Park, Opening of the new reserve, 2014). In his manifesto for Wild Field, Zimov states that he hopes to have an animal density higher than that in the reserves of Africa, where millions of people visit yearly. In the same way, “Wild Field can be visited by train on the weekend…it is important to show our kids real wild nature – the nature of their ancestors” (Zimov, Wild Field Manifest: p.10).