On June 10 over 400 supporters gathered in a display of solidarity and celebration with Butterfly in the town of Stafford, CA, site of the mudslide which raced down from a Pacific Lumber Company clear cut, destroying 7 homes on New Year's Day, 1997. Included amongst the participants was Mickey Hart, former drummer of the Grateful Dead, who had arrived to lead a drum-in near the base of Luna, showing his support for protecting our forests through music.
The brief rally which kicked off the event was highlighted by a message from Julia herself, relayed via cell phone over a PA system. In her address Julia urged those gathered to enjoy the day, and look upon it as a chance to celebrate and re-energize, yet to remember that each of us must become more involved in the effort to save the ancient forests, and that one person alone is not enough.
"People ask me, 'What will it take for you to come down?' I want to come down to a world where there is no more clear cutting, a world where no more herbicides are sprayed on our forests or trees harvested on steep slopes, a world where all of the remaining 3% of our ancient forests are protected forever," said Julia. "There will be no more dealing, and no more compromising."
As the energy of the rally peaked with Julia's inspiring message and hundreds of drummers laying down a powerful and deep rhythm in unison, preparations began for what would become an event those in attendance will never forget.
"It was the most amazing day of my life," said Julia, as over 300 people arrived at Luna after an arduous two-mile hike into Pacific Lumber Company land to drum, celebrate, and share their joy on this day. Hikers carried over one month's worth of food, water, and supplies up the steep trail, to be hauled into the tree in over a dozen loads. Many people expressed disappointment to the Luna support team upon finding out there was no more to carry.
Yet any disappointment over not being able to help, or the difficulty of the hike, was soon lost as the drumming and party resumed, this time on a landing only a few hundred feet away from Luna with Julia dancing to the beat high up in her branches. As supporters looked on in amazement, Julia ascended even higher up the tree to Luna's very top, and with no way to climb further, continued to sway to the now pounding rhythm of the drums.
Poetry, prayer and shared thoughts among a circle of hundreds finished the event, as everyone prepared for the long hike back to Stafford. But in the end one of us did not return that day. As the sun began to set over Humboldt county, still high atop Luna remained Julia Butterfly. And there she remains today, continuing to hold fast in her demand that our forests be saved, inspiring each of us to find the strength within ourselves to do everything that we can to create a world that she can come down to.
"Those things of real worth in life are worth going to any length in love and respect to safeguard." - Julia Butterfly Hill.
Copyright Mendocino Environmental Center 1998
Permission granted to excerpt or use this article if source is cited