The Courage to stand and act upon your beliefs.
"Those things of real worth in life are worth
going to any length in love and respect to safeguard."
- Julia Butterfly Hill
Forest activist Julia Butterfly Hill, 24, has endured El Nino storms, helicopter harassment, a 10 day siege by company security, and the sorrow brought about by witnessing the destruction of a forest for nearly one year. Yet Butterfly continues to persevere. Perched high atop a 1000 year-old tree known as Luna, hers is the latest story in a decade long struggle to save the last of the ancient redwoods.
Butterfly exemplifies the central role of women in today's environmental movement - combining a strong understanding of the current political aspects of the forest controversy with a deep spiritual connection to the forest and the tree she has called home.
"We are currently at a critical point in the history of the ancient forests," says Julia. "Rooted deeply in love and respect, standing in solidarity, we are reclaiming power for the land and the people to which it belongs. We are a beacon of hope for our forests and community."
The spirit of resistance and hope, alogn with deep spiritual convictions has brought Butterfly into the heart of the Headwaters Forest issue. Located on California's north coast near the town of Eureka the Headwaters Forest complex and surrounding land contains the last and largest remaining unprotected groves of ancient redwood trees on Earth. Under a recently filed Habitat Conservation Plan Charles Hurwitz's Houston based Maxxam Corporation, over of Pacific Lumber Company and Headquarters, proposes to harvest almost half of it's remaining ancient trees, while contrinuing to operate on unstable slopes such as the one where Luna exists. Not only has her action saved Luna from a similar fate for the present, Butterfly's tree occupation has come to symbolise the resistance of a community to irresponsible logging and serves as a plea to all people to stop the harvesting of old growth trees. Her sacrifice if living proof that the actions of one person do make a difference.
-from Luna Media Services
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