Additional Coverage:
- A woman lived up a 180-foot, 1,000-year-old tree for 2 years to save a forest from loggers. Meet Julia ‘Butterfly’ Hill. (businessinsider.com)
The Butterfly Who Saved a Redwood: Julia Hill’s 738 Days in the Sky
California’s redwoods, with their towering red-brown trunks reaching heights of 350 feet, have witnessed centuries of history. Over 25 years ago, one of these majestic trees became the unlikely home of a young environmental activist named Julia “Butterfly” Hill.
In 1997, 23-year-old Hill embarked on an extraordinary act of civil disobedience. She climbed 180 feet into a redwood tree dubbed “Luna” to protest logging practices by the Pacific Lumber Company. At the time, a single redwood could fetch $150,000, making them a lucrative target for logging.
Hill’s tree sit began on December 10, 1997, and lasted an astonishing 738 days, ending on December 23, 1999. Perched on two small 6×6-foot platforms, Hill endured cramped, windy, and perpetually wet conditions.
She faced not only the elements but also intimidation tactics from the logging company, including low-flying helicopters and stationed security guards. Her companions were often limited to the flying squirrels who shared her arboreal home.
Hill’s unique protest captured national and international media attention. Reporters and photographers eager to interview her had to scale the massive redwood themselves. Her story was featured on Dateline and in numerous publications, including the New York Times and Los Angeles Times.
The experience transformed Hill. A self-described misfit in her youth, she found purpose in her activism.
A near-fatal car accident a year before the tree sit had already prompted her to re-evaluate her life and dedicate herself to environmental causes. The redwoods, she said, brought her a sense of belonging she had never known.
Hill’s tenacity paid off. In December 1999, she reached an agreement with the Pacific Lumber Company, securing protection for Luna and the surrounding trees.
This victory cemented her status as a prominent environmental activist and author. She documented her incredible journey in her 2000 memoir, “The Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods.”
A documentary about her experience, also titled “Butterfly,” aired on PBS that same year.
Hill’s activism didn’t end with Luna. She founded the Circle of Life organization, promoting environmentally conscious living, and participated in other protests, including a 2006 tree sit to save an urban farm. She continues to advocate for environmental protection and speaks passionately about the urgent need for sustainable practices.
Even today, Hill’s story resonates. The 25th anniversary of her descent from Luna was commemorated in 2024 with a fundraiser to support the ongoing preservation efforts.
Her legacy continues to inspire, even influencing the creation of a new Broadway musical, “Redwood.” Julia “Butterfly” Hill’s two years in a tree not only saved a redwood but also sparked a movement and continues to inspire environmental activism around the world.