With the help of half a dozen Danish trolls, Filoli is charting a new path forward—one that runs straight through the historic Peninsula estate’s 654 acres of open space.

Even Filoli aficionados don’t often think about the sheer volume of land that makes up the Woodside landmark, a series of diverse ecosystems that sustained the Ramaytush Ohlone for centuries before its grand home and gardens were built in 1917, says CEO Kara Newport.

“Historic houses in the U.S. have this tone that they’re not inviting and welcoming and friendly,” she explains. “We’re weaving a new story now for the future, making it more about the land and the history of this place.”

Basse Buller at Filoli(Courtesy of Filoli)

Six giant trolls created by internationally renowned recycle artist Thomas Dambo are the ambassadors for Filoli’s shift in focus from built, human spaces to wild, natural ones. They debut this weekend as part of the estate’s outdoor exhibition Trolls: Save the Humans.

Snuggled among the trees around Filoli’s outerlands, the monumental creatures are meant to inspire environmental stewardship at a time when much of the country’s public lands are under threat of deregulation. But this isn’t the first time Dambo’s trolls have been sighted. Since 2014, he’s erected his fairytale mascots—each made from reused and repurposed materials—in parks and open spaces around the world, from Copenhagen to Miami to China. He’s also the creative mastermind behind Future Forest, a 5,000-square-foot jungle made of plastic waste in Mexico City’s Chapultepec botanical garden; a traveling Happy Alphabet and Happy Wall that let visitors write and draw messages; a “secret” Stone Circle where Dambo’s trolls allegedly meet every 211 years around the firepit; and other interactive exhibitions that are as silly as they are poignant.

Artist Thomas Dambo at work on one of his trolls(Courtesy of Filoli)

“Mostly, previously, Thomas has done commissioned works for specific locations,” says Newport. “I always thought if he had a traveling exhibit that would be amazing to bring here. As soon as we found out he had one, we planned it out [to coincide with the launch of] our new campaign, Nature Connections.”

A space Filoli calls the Redwoods, a forested interface between the more formal gardens and the natural landscape, is at the new initiative’s core. There, they’ve cultivated a play space with stump hops and little willow houses for kids, and built the Trailhead Store—a place for coffee, beer, wine, and live music. Those spaces—which open this weekend with assistance from three of Dambo’s trolls—are at the center of a new trail system they hope will eventually snake all the way to the top of the mountain behind the manor.

“What we have open to the public right now is about two miles of trails in total—really easy, everybody can do them,” says Newport.

The plan is to extend them a little bit every year into an interconnected network, which will include renovating about five miles of preexisting paths to bring them back into use. The trails will be open only to Filoli visitors and members, giving hikers an opportunity to escape the sometimes hefty crowds at the region’s public parks.

Ibbi Pip at Filoli(Courtesy of Filoli)

In the meantime, Dambo’s trolls—both the sculptures at the new hub in the redwoods and those scattered around the existing hiking trails (including the Spring Creek Trail, which opened last year)—are adding a bit of whimsy to the experience of those who choose to venture beyond Filoli’s formal gardens.

Each one has its own name, personality, and backstory, and is part of the exhibition’s overarching legend: Basse Buller—a funny, loud artist who uses his paint to keep humans on the right path—Ibbi Pip—the handy, optimistic friend to animals that puts up colorful birdhouses everywhere she goes—and four other distinct characters.

“Historic houses in the U.S. have this tone that they’re not inviting and welcoming and friendly,” says Newport. “Filoli is a community center. It’s held in public trust. In general, I just want Filoli to be a friendly face, a friendly place—we are a place truly for everyone, where children of all ages can have fun.”

// Trolls: Save the Humans opens June 7. Filoli is open daily from 10am to 5pm and Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 5pm to 8pm throughout the summer; 86 Cañada Road (Woodside), filoli.org