December 10, 1997.
Northern California.
Julia Butterfly Hill was 23 when she climbed Luna, a massive ancient redwood tree in Humboldt County, and set up a tiny platform nearly 180 feet above the ground.
Her goal was simple:
keep the Pacific Lumber Company from cutting it down.
She expected to stay a few days. Nobody imagined she would remain in the tree for more than two years.
The old-growth redwood forests were disappearing, and Luna was one of the few giants left, believed to be between 600 and 1,500 years old.
Logging crews had already marked it for cutting.
Julia decided the only way to stop it was to live in the tree itself.
Life in the canopy was anything but romantic.
She slept on small wooden platforms, hauled up supplies by rope, endured freezing rain and violent storms, and strapped herself to branches when high winds made the tree sway wildly.
Helicopters flew close to rattle her, and loggers cut down surrounding trees to intimidate her.
She faced isolation, exhaustion, and constant danger.
Still, she stayed.
Through a solar-powered phone and later radio interviews, Julia began sharing Luna’s story with the world. She spoke about the damage caused by clear-cutting and the importance of protecting ancient ecosystems.
Her quiet determination drew national attention, and the pressure on Pacific Lumber increased.
Day after day, season after season, she refused to come down. She celebrated two birthdays in Luna. She endured two winters. She learned the rhythms of the forest and felt a deep connection to the tree she was trying to save.
After 738 days, Pacific Lumber finally agreed to negotiate.
On December 18, 1999, Julia climbed down from Luna. The company promised to protect the tree and the land around it in exchange for a donated payment from supporters. Luna was safe.
Her return to solid ground was difficult. After so long in a constantly swaying tree, she could barely walk without losing her balance. But she had won. One person had saved an ancient redwood that might otherwise have been lost forever.
Julia’s tree-sit became one of the most famous acts of environmental activism in modern history.
It showed the power of nonviolent resistance and inspired people around the world to believe that individual action can create real change.
Luna still stands today, protected and growing, even after surviving vandalism in 2000.
Julia Butterfly Hill gave up two years of her life for one tree. Many would call that sacrifice unreasonable. She saw it differently. She believed that change begins when someone decides not to give up, even when the odds are impossible.
One person. One tree. 738 days. And Luna is still alive because she chose to climb and refused to come down.
