“Those things of real worth in life are worth going to any length in love and respect to safeguard.” – Julia Butterfly Hill
I did not know who Julia “Butterfly” Hill was until I saw the documentary Butterfly. Recently, she has been in the news with actress Daryl Hannah and singer Joan Baez for tree sitting. They were tree sitting to protest the sale of the 14-acre South Central Community Garden, which would then be torn down and replaced with a warehouse. Sheriff Deputies recently evicted all activists from the trees.
Julie “Butterfly” Hill is most famous for another tree-sitting experience. In December of 1997, Julia began living in a large, thousand year old Redwood in an attempt to keep the Pacific Lumber Company from cutting it down. The Redwood was 180 feet tall and Hill lived near the top in a 6 by 8 foot tree house. To receive supplies, she relied on volunteers from Earth First! to send up buckets of food and supplies. The truly amazing part is she spent 728 days – almost two years in the tree she had named Luna. After Julia left, Luna was vandalized by a chainsaw, but was not cut down and is still standing today.
Julia chose the nickname Butterfly for several reasons. She loved butterflies as a child, but she also felt that like a butterfly, she had undergone a major metamorphosis in her life. In 1996, she was in a near fatal car wreck that took her almost a year from which to recover. She started on a journey to discover who she really was and when she saw the majesty of the Redwoods in California, they caught her eye and soul. She found spirituality among the trees that she had never experienced before. In 1999, she and other activists founded Circle of Life, an organization based on the interconnectivity of life and nature.
I am not sure that I approve 100% of the actions of such extreme activists. But I as I watched Butterfly, I realized the Julie knew a whole lot more about who she was for having stayed in her beloved tree so long. I will never forget one thing she said during the documentary. When talking about a terrible storm that came through while she was living in the tree, she mentioned clinging to Luna and asking Luna for strength. She was scared because the tree was bending, but she said the tree told her to remember that if it remained ridged and stiff, it would surely fall. But, by swaying with the wind, it could remain safe. Some people may not like her or her activism, but I respect her for her love and commitment to nature. You can read more about Julia’s experiences by ordering her books at Amazon.com.
What do you think of such extreme activists?