France’s Hellfest has donated €1 million to musician-run not-for-profit Savage Lands to support the organisation’s ongoing reforestation efforts in Costa Rica and Europe.

Savage Lands, which was founded by musician-turned-activist Sylvain Demercastel and Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren, has already protected 60,000 sq ft of rainforest using 100% of the royalties from their music.

Hellfest’s donation is part of a five-year partnership, with Savage Lands set to continue hosting a booth on the festival grounds.

“This is a historical move by Hellfest and a great signal to the music industry”, says Demercastel, who founded Savage Lands with Megadeth drummer Dirk Verbeuren. “Such an extraordinarily generous donation from a renowned festival is just another example of the many ways that the metal community supports each other.”

“By converting the land that we purchase into nature sanctuaries, Savage Lands will help set a precedent for environmental activism”

Nordic collective Heilung have also pledged to donate $1 for every ticket sold on their US tour to assist Savage Lands’ reforestation efforts.

“Our goals are attainable,” adds Demercastel. “By converting the land that we purchase into nature sanctuaries, Savage Lands will help set a precedent for environmental activism. But we must act quickly. Ecosystems are still under attack. If we don’t, then there won’t be any wildlife left to save.”

Created by Ben Barbaud and Yoann Le Nevé, Hellfest takes place in Clisson, 30km south-west from Nantes. This year’s edition of the 60,000-cap rock/metal event was headlined by Metallica, Foo Fighters, Avenged Sevenfold and Machine Head. It will return from 19-22 June 2025.

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The Serbian government has initiated countrywide reforestation plans in accordance with Green R:Evolution, a campaign led by Exit Festival and local environmental organisations.

The plans would see forest cover increase from 28% of Serbia’s total surface area to at least 40%, equating to almost one billion new trees across the country.

The reforestation is in keeping with Exit Festival’s Green R:Evolution initiative which is backed by local eco organisations and calls for an increase in forest cover by almost 50%.

Launched in November 2019, Green R:Evolution recently received the support of Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, for the reforestation of the Fruška Gora mountain in Serbia.

The Serbian government has initiated countrywide reforestation plans following a campaign led by Exit Festival and local environmental organisations

Exit Festival is showcasing another eco initiative, Life Stream, at its 20th anniversary event from 9 to 12 July in Novi Sad, Serbia, which features performances from David Guetta, Tyga, Fatboy Slim, DJ Snake, James Arthur and Metronomy, among others.

The project will see imagery, text and data related to environmental issues injected into live broadcasts from the festival.

The sustainability efforts of festivals is one of the topics being discussed at the Green Events and Innovations Conference (GEI) today, taking place as part of the opening day of the International Live Music Conference (ILMC) in London.

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