She Spent 738 Days Living In A Tree To Raise Awareness For Ancient Redwoods
In December 1997, Julia Butterfly Hill ascended Luna, a giant 1,500-year-old redwood tree near Stafford, California, and did not come down until December 1999.
At the time, she was 26-years-old. Overall, she spent a total of 738 days living 180 feet high in the tree, helping to raise awareness for ancient redwoods.
She only descended when an agreement was made with Pacific Lumber Company to protect Luna and a surrounding area of 200 feet.
When she returned to the ground, she was greeted as a heroine and a powerful voice for the environment, inspiring millions of people all over the world to take care of the planet.
Julia worked with steelworkers and environmentalists to successfully negotiate the agreement to provide permanent protections for Luna.
Her courageous act shed light on the fact that only three percent of ancient redwood forests still exist and that the Headwaters Forest Agreement would not properly protect forests and their species.
Julia Hill grew up in a deeply religious family that traveled often, finally settling in Arkansas. She chose Butterfly to be part of her name during her childhood years. In 1996, she suffered severe injuries in a car accident and spent nearly a year in treatment and recovery.
This gave her plenty of time to reflect on her life. Two weeks after being released by the doctors, she headed west to find herself.
She did not have a specific destination in mind, but she was particularly drawn to the ancient redwoods at first sight.
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“When I entered the majestic cathedral of the redwood forest for the first time, my spirit knew it had found what it was searching for. I dropped to my knees and began to cry because I was so overwhelmed by the wisdom, energy, and spirituality housed in this holiest of temples,” Julia recalled.
Once she returned to the ground from her two-year stint of living in a tree, she toured the world and spoke about her experience to audiences.
Eventually, she founded the nonprofit organization Circle of Life. She is also an advisor for a number of other organizations and has received several prestigious awards for her work.
As for Luna, this old tree is located on a ridge that looks over the town of Stafford, California. She also sits on land that is protected under a preservation agreement.
People are discouraged from visiting Luna, as it would require trespassing to reach her. There are no public routes to the tree.
Furthermore, foot traffic over her root system would only increase soil erosion and make her even more vulnerable to the elements, which is the last thing we need.
Luna serves as a reminder that both individuals and communities can speak up for those who don’t have a voice to defend themselves with and take matters into our own hands to improve our future.
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