"Those
things of real worth in life are worth going to any length in love and respect
to safeguard."
—Julia Butterfly Hill
Hear Julia! We Are All One
(mp3
recording with music mix by Cat Vibert)
Check out Julia's blog, Thoughts
from Julia!
Butterfly's Tale
Julia’s
own account of her first
100 days in Luna.
 Ecuador
Suffers for Oil
Julia visits OCP oil pipeline sites in Ecuador, July, 2002.
Julia's Story
For
738 days Julia Butterfly Hill lived in the canopy of an ancient redwood
tree, called Luna, to help make the world aware of the plight of ancient
forests. Julia, with the great help of steelworkers and environmentalists,
successfully negotiated to permanently protect the 1,000 year-old
tree and a nearly three-acre buffer zone. Her two-year vigil informed
the public that only 3% of the ancient redwood forests remain and
that the Headwaters Forest Agreement, brokered by state and federal
agencies and Pacific Lumber/Maxxam Corporation, will not adequately
protect forests and species.
On
December 18, 1999 Julia Butterfly Hill, then 26, came down to a world
that recognized her as a heroine and powerful voice for the environment.
Her courage, commitment and profound clarity in articulating a message
of hope, empowerment, and love and respect for all life has inspired
millions of people worldwide. Julia reflects,
“By
standing together in unity, solidarity and love we will heal the
wounds in the earth and in each other. We can make a positive
difference through our actions.”
Julia
Hill chose the name Butterfly while in her childhood years and like
her namesake she has undergone a great metamorphosis. She grew up
in a deeply religious family as the daughter of a traveling, evangelical
minister that later settled in Arkansas. In 1996 she suffered nearly
fatal injuries in an auto accident. During close to a year of medical
treatment and recovery, she had time to reassess her purpose in life.
Two weeks after being released by her doctors, she headed west on
a journey of self-discovery. She had no particular destination, but
her first sight of the ancient redwoods overwhelmed her with awe. “When
I entered the majestic cathedral of the redwood forest for the first
time, my spirit knew it had found what it was searching for. I dropped
to my knees and began to cry because I was so overwhelmed by the wisdom,
energy and spirituality housed in this holiest of temples.” Julia
and other forest activists founded Circle of Life to inspire, support
and network individuals, organizations, and communities so together
we can create environmental and social solutions that are rooted deeply
in love and respect for the interconnectedness of all life. We envision
a sustainable culture that honors biological and cultural diversity.
Through education and outreach, we promote efforts to protect and
restore the Earth.
Tell
Me Something More About Julia!
Julia’s
father was an itinerant preacher, meaning he traveled around preaching.
Their family, including mother, father, Julia and two brothers all
lived in a small travel trailer. Julia would do puppet shows for the
children in the places where her father was preaching. They were relatively
poor. Julia
has had the nickname “Butterfly” since she was a child.
She got it when the family was taking a hike one day and a butterfly
landed on her and stayed with her the entire time. She has always
been attracted to butterflies and they have been a powerful symbol
of going inside one’s cocoon to emerge beautiful. Julia was home-schooled
and started taking college courses at age sixteen. She majored in
business. Julia loves to cook and started her own restaurant at age
eighteen. She has been a vegetarian since she was a teenager and has
been a vegan for the past few years.
Other
details of her life can be found in her book, The
Legacy of Luna.
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