Hellfest x Savage Lands : Metal Forests

18 February 2026

Last Saturday, at the Hellfest site, the first stage of the “Metal Forests” project led by the NGO Savage Lands took place, with the planting of 1,500 trees in the festival's technical area.

This pilot operation marks the first stage of a much more ambitious project: the creation of real Metal Forests, with up to 50,000 trees.

A pilot project to accelerate natural regeneration

The land, provided by Hellfest, was prepared in advance:

• Soil decompaction
• Compost application
• Complete logistics (meals, tools, site organization)

The 1,500 plants, supplied by a local nursery, are regional species selected based on an ecological study aimed at identifying the species that would naturally establish themselves in this area over a 100-year cycle.

The goal is to reproduce a natural process, but in an accelerated timeframe.

The principle adopted is that of a micro-forest:

• Very dense planting
• Mix of trees and shrubs
• Rapid creation of a self-sustaining, self-protecting ecosystem

The seedlings were protected by mulch, supplied by a local farmer, and individual wire fencing to optimize survival rates.
The system is designed to limit watering. Ecological monitoring will be carried out for two years, in particular to control competition from invasive species.

A collective effort

Nearly 40 volunteers took part in the operation:

• Musicians from Savage Lands - Locomuerte - Black Bomb A
• Members of the band SKÁLD
• Members of the Hellfest organization
• Volunteers from Savage Lands, including several “Sentinelles du Sauvage” (Guardians of the Wild)

The operation was carried out in record time. Initially planned to take two days, the planting was completed in a single day thanks to an unexpected break in the weather, despite months of torrential rain in France. Even the specialists present highlighted the speed and efficiency of the work accomplished.

1,500 trees
A ton of straw
Compost
Dozens of tools

Logistics planned over several months.

Committed partners

In addition to Savage Lands and Hellfest, the operation brought together:

• Boomforest, represented by Damien, who is also involved in the Francis Hallé Association for Primary Forests
• LPO Loire-Atlantique
• Several local associations working to promote biodiversity

A first step towards a replicable model

This planting is the first concrete step for Metal Forests:
A model combining metal culture, collective commitment, and measurable ecological action.

The ambition is clear:

• To demonstrate that a festival can become a direct player in the regeneration of life
• To set a precedent
• To inspire other regions to launch similar projects

Savage Lands will continue this work alongside Hellfest and its partners to transform this pilot phase into a large-scale program both inside and outside the festival area, as well as in other regions.