Summer Update
Stuart Moskowitz of Sanctuary Forest is the caretaker of Luna and makes regular visits to Luna to check on her condition. Click here to read his latest report. For more information on Sanctuary Forest, visit www.sanctuaryforest.org/.
Luna & the Tree Sit
 For
738 days forest activist Julia Butterfly Hill lived 180 feet high
in the canopy of an ancient redwood tree to help make the world
aware of the plight of ancient forests. Julia, with great help
from steelworkers and environmentalists, successfully negotiated
to permanently protect the tree and a nearly three-acre buffer
zone. She came down to a world that recognized her as a heroine
and powerful voice for the environment.
Julia's occupation of the over 1000-year-old tree known as Luna is
only a part of the fifteen-year struggle to save Headwaters Forest
and the 3% of the ancient redwood ecosystem that remains. Luna's
hillside is where a massive 'debris torrent' originated that destroyed
seven homes in Stafford, California. Seeing the mudslide scar from
Julia's treetop perspective was a daily reminder that the health
of our forests and watersheds directly affects our lives.
Luna
stands as a beacon of hope, showing that individuals and communities
can speak out against corporate irresponsibility. Luna reminds us to
stand up for our own survival and for the future of our shared planet.
 Photo by Eric Slomanson
Stories from Luna Tree Sit Participants
We are now featuring memories
and stories from
folks involved with the Luna tree sit, recounting
what
the tree
sit
and its
continued legacy has meant in their lives. We would love to add more,
and feature stories, artwork, photos, poems, and writings from each
of you who
were involved.
Julia’s story is well known, but the Luna tree sit was way bigger
than Julia Butterfly. It would not have been possible without the support
crew and everyone who sustained the effort before, during, and after
her part in it (way back to the beginning, when Luna was known by some
as the Stafford Giant). Our goal, then, is to bring in and honor other
voices besides Julia’s, and create an archive that highlights
the stories, experiences, and feelings of everyone. We want to celebrate
you by sharing your stories with the world. We’ve been wanting
to do this for a while!
Please send us stories that you’d like us to include on our website.
If we need to edit for clarity or length, we’ll have you review
the edits before posting. Please include your name (forest name is
fine!) and an update of what you are up to
now. Although
we can’t promise to use everything,
we do want to share as many stories as we can. Send
to info@circleoflife.org with "Luna
Stories" in
the subject line.
Now check out the memories and stories we've collected so far!
 How is Luna today?
Learn about how Luna has recovered from the
deep cut of a chain saw attack in late 2001.
 Luna
The
original Luna website
is the archived website from the time of the Luna tree-sit.
The
Luna archives provide
more historic materials, with lots of pictures and information.
Note
that these are historical
documents and contain information that is now out of date.
 Butterfly’s
Tale
Julia’s own account of her first
100 days in Luna.
 Descent
Letter
Julia’s first letter
after her descent.
Where is Luna?
Luna stands tall on a ridge above the town of Stafford,
California. You can see her from Highway 101 near the Stafford exit,
looking
southwest.
 Who attends to Luna today?
In December of 1999, Sanctuary
Forest worked closely with Pacific
Lumber Company and Julia Butterfly Hill to negotiate the agreement
that protects Luna.
Sanctuary Forest served as the bridge, facilitating the agreement
between Pacific Lumber Company and Julia, who was at the time perched
two hundred feet above the earth on a six by eight foot platform.
Sanctuary Forest agreed to become the trustee for Luna’s conservation
easement.
Sanctuary Forest is serving as the guardian of Luna and holds the
Deed of Covenant, a legal agreement that contains the details of
the conservation easement designed to protect Luna and a surrounding
two-acre buffer zone.
Sanctuary Forest is a non-profit land trust located within the temperate
rainforest of the headwaters of the Mattole River on California’s
northern coast. Sanctuary Forest provides permanent protection for
ecologically sensitive lands, enriching the positive relationship
between these lands and our communities for future generations. Contact
Sanctuary Forest at (707)986-1087 or email sanctuary@sanctuaryforest.org.
Can I Visit Luna?
Luna sits on land that is protected under a preservation
agreement. The parcel is surrounded by Pacific Lumber property and
would require
trespassing in order to get to Luna. As part of the agreement,
we can’t encourage people to visit Luna. There are no public
routes into Luna. We are also concerned for Luna’s well-being
as foot traffic over her root system would increase soil erosion
and add to her vulnerability.
Visit the California Redwoods
 Photo by Estelle Fennel There are places to camp in and around
state parks with beautiful old-growth redwoods. You can camp at Richardson
Grove on Highway
101 just south of Garberville and visit several redwood groves along
the Avenue of the Giants, just south of Stafford on Highway 101.
Also, a jewel that's very accessible and remarkably untouched is
Whittemore
Grove. It's located just outside Redway on Briceland Road.
Another place to be with nature is California’s “Lost
Coast”—the King
Range National Conservation Area and
the Sinkyone
Wilderness. It was here among the unspoiled natural
beauty that Julia first felt called to protect the ancient forests.
It is home to several magnificent ancient redwood groves, including
the Sally Bell Grove, site of a decade-earlier showdown between lumber
greed and environmentalists.
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