My Trolls Collection

This is my unusual collection, because I don't own them. I've just seen them. These are trolls built by Danish recycled-art activist Thomas Dambo, and in this post I'll tell you a bit about him and show you the trolls I've found so far, plus the ones I still want to see.

So who is Thomas Dambo?Thomas Dambo is a Danish "recycle art activist," world-famous for building giant wooden trolls from scrap materials. His mission is simple: show the world that trash is treasure. He grew up in Odense, Denmark(I been there), building treehouses out of neighborhood scraps. Before the trolls, he was a beatboxer and graffiti artist who gained attention for constructing 3,000 recycled birdhouses. In 2014, he built his first troll — Hector the Protector in Puerto Rico — using plywood salvaged from hurricane debris.

Inspired by Scandinavian folklore, his trolls are designed as "protectors of the wild," creatures that encourage humans to respect the Earth. Each sculpture is built from local waste — old pallets, fallen branches — often assembled together with community volunteers. His goal is to build 1,000 trolls worldwide (nearly 200 exist today), inviting people to explore nature through his interactive Troll Map.

The ones I've seen so far:

Rita the Rock Planter, Victor, CO.
After waking up from a 100-year nap, Rita saw the mountain was full of dangerous mining holes. She is now busy "patching" the earth by pushing heavy rocks into the old shafts to keep humans and animals safe.!

Isak Heartstone — Breckenridge, CO.
Isak is a gentle giant who sits by the trail, named after local children gave him a heart-shaped stone to keep in his chest. He acts as a forest guardian, reminding us all to treat nature with kindness.

Then, on a recent trip to Puerto Rico, I stumbled across two trolls I had no idea existed. Honestly, it surprised me more than anything — I wasn't expecting to find them there, and it made me want to seek out even more around the world.

Hector El Protector — Culebra, PRPerched on the coastline, Hector sits with a rock in his hand, ready to "throw" it at any hurricanes that threaten to harm the island.

Luna — San Juan, PRLocated right at the entrance of Distrito T-Mobile, Luna is a beautiful urban giant that greets visitors as they enter the city's main entertainment hub.

And here's the thing — while writing this post I actually learned there's a third troll that WAS in Puerto Rico!
Wilson's Car, San Juan, PR, Originally built for a street art festival in the Santurce neighborhood, this troll featured a giant smashing a real car (donated by a local named Wilson!). It was later moved to the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, though it has since been dismantled, making it a "lost" piece of troll history.If you want to start your own adventure, check out the Thomas Dambo Troll Map to see if there’s a giant hiding in a forest near you!