Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
Cyril Melikov is the Head of Forest Restoration Management projects at EP Carbon, where he acts as a holistic technical lead for assigned carbon projects. He not only guides the project team through the process of planning and fabricating but also in delivering work products for clients. Before his role at EP Carbon, he was a Senior Research Analyst at the Environmental Defense Fund within the Natural Climate Solutions team, where he focused on agriculture and forest-based solutions. His expertise encompasses inferential statistics, carbon accounting and dynamics, agronomy, silviculture, and the design of voluntary carbon projects.
Melikov’s recent projects have centered around forest conservation, improved forest management, as well as on reforestation across diverse ecological settings, including agroforestry systems, plantations, and native species mixes. He has also been involved in research efforts to predict carbon accumulation in forest plantations, as well as in identifying the most effective nature-based climate solutions at both global and national scales.
“Observing nature’s complex living systems has long been a passion of mine,” Melikov adds and says that he learned the art of fly fishing as a child and has always been a great lover of nature.
It was this love that drove a desire to understand how ecosystems work, and how they play a part in the protection at the point where they interact with human activities. Melikov’s master’s thesis, which was conducted at UC Berkeley, focused on investigating the net impacts of various widely-used management actions, such as thinning and fertilization, on carbon stocks in forest plantations, which aimed to inform and refine the design and scoping of forest carbon management projects. His work resulted in publication in a top forestry journal, Current Forestry Reports. Through this, Melikov gained a deep understanding of carbon dynamics within forest ecosystems and was introduced to the world of carbon offset markets for the first time.
“This experience was pivotal because it was the first time I realized that the theoretical concepts I had been studying could have practical applications in the real world,” Melikov says.
This revelation not only broadened his professional outlook but ignited a drive to become a global contributor to the implementation of these solutions. This drive led Melikov to contribute to peer-reviewed publications published in prestigious journals such as Natural Climate Change, as well as to participate in the drafting of several impactful reports either as the first author or as a co-author in his professional career. He says that one of his proudest projects was the research he participated in that was led by Brian Buma and Doria Gordon of the Environmental Defense Fund, which aimed at identifying Nature-Based Climate Solutions pathways that carbon market actors should prioritize for investment and implementation. This study was one of the first of its kind involving dozens of experts, and Melikov played a key role in the extensive literature review that led to the identification of the 42 assessed pathways, as well as all the carbon science available around these pathways.
When speaking on how he helps inspire others, Melikov says that he mentors emerging professionals in environmental science and forestry, and has helped initiate and manage collaborations between NGOs, universities, and private sector partners. Melikov uses this natural flexibility to thrive in both field and office environments, stepping out of his comfort zone on countless projects. He believes that utilizing this skill to engage with local stakeholders has been instrumental in shaping his leadership and influence within the professional community.
He says, “By shaping industry standards and guiding policy decisions on nature-based solutions, I help provide roadmaps for others in the field, inspiring them to base their work on robust science and advocate for policies that support sustainable practices.”
Though he has been challenged in managing diverse teams, often with members from different cultures and ages than himself, Melikov has maintained an open mind and actively fostered positive relations within his teams. His work — which directly tackles climate change — aims to safeguard the ecosystems, produce verifiable climate benefits, and enhance the well-being of communities worldwide.
“In my current role, I am fully committed to providing technical support to carbon projects that are transparent, additional, and build on realistic and robust baselines,” he elaborates. He hopes to instill trust in his projects by addressing concerns encountered by some of the pioneer forest carbon projects.
Melikov aspires to become a globally recognized leader in Nature-Based Climate solutions delivering expert guidance on climate mitigation and resilience for agriculture and forestry projects.
“I am devoted to driving significant environmental impact by marrying cutting-edge scientific research with scalable practical applications,” he says, adding that his approach focuses on crafting innovative solutions that prioritize not just effectiveness, but sustainability as well.
