Hill and Luna
Julia “Butterfly” Hill (1974) is one of the most committed environmentalists alive today. She is best known for her protest living in branches of a 180 foot tall, ancient California redwood tree (which she named Luna) for 738 days between December 10, 1997, and December 18, 1999.
Her main goal was to save the tree from being cut down by the company called Pacific Lumber and prevent further deforestation. With ropes, the survival supplies were brought by an eight-member support crew. Loggers from Pacific Lumber were tried to starve her out by preventing Hill’s support team from bringing supplies and food. They were involved in a helicopter harassment and also attempted to intimidate her
Watch this video if you want to know how Julia survived during the storm and cold weather. She put her life in danger to save the nature.
As a result of Hill’s protest in 1999, Pacific Lumber agreed to preserve Luna and all trees within a 200-foot buffer zone. In exchange, Hill agreed to vacate the tree. In addition, a $50,000 settlement was given to Pacific Lumber that Hill and other activists raised during those 2 years on the tree. The $50,000 paid to Pacific Lumber was then donated to California's Humboldt State University for sustainable forestry research.
Unfortunately, vandals later cut the tree with the chainsaw.
Post-Tree Life
She then published a bestselling book in 2000 “The Legacy of Luna”. Hill also published a book in 2002 called “One Makes the Difference”. Since her tree sit, Hill became the co-founder of the Circle of Life Foundation, which has morphed into the Engage Network, a non-profit social activism group.
In 2002, Hill was arrested in Ecuador while protesting an oil pipeline that threatened the forests of the Andes. In 2003 Hill became a proponent of tax redirection resisting payment of about $150,000 in federal taxes. Her idea was to donate that money to after-school programs, arts and cultural programs, community gardens, environmental protection programs and so on.
Today, Hill continues to work as an activist and motivational speaker (holding some 250 events a year). She has her own website https://www.juliabutterflyhill.com ,where she shares her thought with the readers, life coaching, tips, and other useful information. She’s also vegan.
“I wake up in the morning asking myself what can I do today, how can I help the world today.” ― Julia Butterfly Hill
Not to mention that several musicians have been inspired by Hill and her activism and have written songs about her:
The Red Hot Chili Peppers made a reference to her "J. Butterfly is in the treetop"
Casey Desmond wrote a song called "Julia Butterfly Hill"
Neil Young song "Sun Green" contains a line "Still wants to meet Julia Butterfly"
In 2002 Los Suaves made a song in honor of Hill called "Julia Hill"
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