Giant trolls built from trash call for kinder living

In an age where climate anxiety and consumerism often go hand in hand, a new kind of folklore is rising from the forest floor—one carved from scrap wood, infused with imagination and stitched with purpose. Danish artist Thomas Dambo, known globally for his larger-than-life sculptures made entirely from waste, is the creator of these gentle giants: trolls built from trash who want to save the humans.

Forest trolls made from trash invite children and adults to rediscover nature

Over the past 12 years, Dambo and his team have built 170 troll sculptures from discarded materials—wooden pallets, broken furniture, wine barrels—placing them in forests, hillsides, and public gardens across more than 20 countries and 21 U.S. states. Together, they form Trail of a Thousand Trolls, a global art project that brings storytelling, sustainability and craftsmanship into conversation with the land.

“People throw out so many things that still have value,” says Dambo, speaking from his farm near Copenhagen. “But trash can be treasure—it just depends on how you look at it.” Each year, he creates around 25 new trolls, often standing as tall as 40 feet (12 metres), with the help of a dedicated team of artists, carpenters, and local volunteers.

Currently, six of these mythic figures have taken up residence at Trolls Save the Humans, an installation at Filoli, a 650-acre estate of gardens and forestland near San Francisco. Unlike their older troll ancestors—who see humans as reckless and wasteful—the younger trolls at Filoli are more hopeful. They want to guide humans back to a way of life that respects and protects the natural world.

Each troll has a unique character and mission. There’s Ibbi Pip, who builds whimsical birdhouses from scraps; Rosa Sunfinger, who tends to flowers; and Kamma Can, who turns rubbish into jewellery. “Each of them has a story,” says Filoli CEO Kara Newport. “It invites people to imagine who might live in their woods, and reflect on their own impact.”

For Dambo, who is also a poet and former hip-hop artist, the trolls are more than art—they're storytellers, myth-makers and quiet activists. “They’re not just about reuse, they’re about rethinking,” he says. “The trolls believe humans can be better. That we can learn. That we’re still worth saving.”

This blend of folklore and functionality has struck a chord worldwide. Dambo’s trolls now draw over 4.5 million visitors annually. But it’s not just the spectacle that resonates—it’s the process. Most sculptures are built from locally sourced waste, and assembled with community support, blending art with a spirit of shared responsibility.

“The trolls don’t scream, they don’t protest. They just exist, in harmony with their surroundings. And that’s the point,” says Dambo. “We don’t need to make noise to make change. Sometimes, we just need to listen to the forest—and the trolls within it.”

As more trolls rise from the ground, shaped by hands and imagination rather than machines, they offer a quiet but insistent message: that it’s still possible to create beauty from what we discard, and still time to change how we live—if only we’re willing to look up, and listen.

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