In addition to his legacy as one of the most accomplished frontmen in the history of heavy music, Randy Blythe of Lamb of God has proven to be a man of many passionate pursuits. An author, a well-documented photographer, and an avid surfer, Blythe's unique vantage point has afforded a worldly perspective that has inspired the civic-minded musician to use his talents for the greater good.
Blythe recently revealed the scope of his most recent passion project with the unveiling of a short film called, Rewilding. The film depicts how Blythe's passion for surfing led him to befriend a fellow surfer from Ecuador. In the ever constant pursuit of the perfect wave, Blythe traveled to Ecuador to hit the shore, finding himself in awe of the dynamic ecosystem that lie further inland.
What Blythe would also discover in digging more into the biodiversity of Ecuador is that the country is also home to the highest rate of deforestation of any nation in the Western Hemisphere. That prompted Blythe to work with his friend, Carlos, the fellow Ecuadorian surfer, to implement a course of action in an effort to restore some balance to the region's lush geography.
Blythe would go onto purchase a significant plot of land that was formerly used for cattle gazing, sight unseen. Using funds from his Cameo page, Blythe secured his portion of the land, with Carlos' family securing the rest and began their reforestation project.
Among the most poignant lines from the short documentary-style film, Blythe states of his ongoing efforts, “Many of us are tired of watching the wild spaces of our planet disappear, and some of us are done with waiting for someone else to do something else about it. We are not running out of time, we are out of time. We must preserve what is left of the natural world.”
In just a couple of years, Blythe and his team have been able to take their corner of the Ecuadorian landscape and transform it from barren and brown to lush and green with significant acreage now lined with trees. Essentially cultivating rich forest land that will quickly become dense jungle, Blythe and his team are working to establish an ecosystem with sustainable trees that will not only curb greenhouse gases but will nurture the region's wildlife.
Blythe also went onto thank everyone that has patroned his Cameo page, explaining that anyone who gets a Cameo from him in the future will be direct funding this expansive project.
Watch Rewidling from D. Randall Blythe below.
