In case you haven't heard, the magnificent ancient redwood tree that

Julia Butterfly Hill lived in for two years was subjected to a savage

assault with a chainsaw. I've appended a post giving the details

after the following message.

Craig Gingold

Midpines

From: info@circleoflifefoundation.org

Date: Wed, 29 Nov 2000 18:26:23 -0800

Organization: Circle of Life Foundation

Subject: Luna Message & Today Show

Reply-To: info@circleoflifefoundation.org

On November 30 Julia will appear on the Today Show at approximately 8:20

AM Pacific standard time to discuss her reactions to the attack on Luna

November 29, 2000

Last night an incredible team including foresters, engineers and

arborists devised a method of securing Luna so she could weather the

infamous Humboldt County winter storms.  Julia and Circle of Life

endured a sleepless night as the wind raged and we feared for Luna and the

courageous tree surgeons. We drove north to the town of Stafford not

knowing if Luna had survived the windstorm.  You can imagine the elation

we felt when we saw Luna standing tall on the ridge.  We hiked to her and

witnessed the mortal wound and the attempt to heal the tree.

  Julia says she really feels all the prayers and love that supporters have

sent.  Here is a poem that Julia wrote upon learning of the attack on Luna.

===============

I heard today . . .

Luna's  been cut.

Two-thirds and maybe more.

Someone in their rage,

in their anger,

in their frustration

struck out at Luna

wanting to hurt Her . . .

wanting to hurt me

the way they must be hurting inside.

See . . .

what we do to the Earth

we do to each other.

And how we treat the Earth

is reflected in how we treat each other.

The pain I feel right now that threatens to rip me apart

is the pain I feel every time I see an Ancient Elder cut . . .

the pain I feel every time another species goes extinct . . .

the pain I feel every time someone yells at a child . . .

the pain I feel every time another woman dies of breast cancer

caused by all the legal pollutants in her food,

her planet,

her life . . .

The pain I feel every time I think of Leonard Peltier locked inside

our prisons of disrespect and disconnect.

On and on and on

the pain in our world grows bigger and erupts.

Ricocheting bullets school yards and halls.

Chainsaws to sacred beings.

When do we begin to look at where this DIS-EASE begins?

In the disconnection from the sacred . . .

In the disconnection from the heart.

The person who ripped metal into Luna's flesh

is just as ripped apart inside as Luna now is,

as I now am,

as is the world.

May the tears that pour out from the depths of my soul

cleanse the sadness of any who would wish to react in rage.

The person who so viciously attacked Luna

has enough anger for the world.

May we love ever more

May we motivate ourselves to committed love in Action

May we motivate ourselves to live the life we wish to see in the

world.

May we be the transformation we wish to see in the world.

>From the inside out . . .

>From the roots branching upwards . . .

>From the heart

to thought

to word

to action.

Through life's trials and hardships

we can arise beautiful and free.

Julia Butterfly

Sunday, November 26, 2000

(707) 923-9522

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Date: Mon, 27 Nov 2000 18:46:58 -0800

Subject: [EF!] Luna murdered by chainsaw attack

ANCIENT REDWOOD TREE LUNA WHERE

JULIA BUTTERFLY HILL LIVED FOR OVER TWO YEARS

HAS BEEN ILLEGALLY CUT AND ENDANGERED

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November, 27 2000

Contact: Circle of Life Foundation: (707) 923-9522, (707) 923-4619

The small hamlet of Stafford, California is the site of a landslide that

originated on PL/Maxxam land that destroyed seven families' homes.

Stafford is also home to the Stafford Giant, an ancient redwood tree now

known to the world as Luna. The tree was named Luna by forest activists

who used the light of the full moon to rig a treesitting platform 180 feet

high in the redwood in October, 1997.

On December 10, 1997 Julia Butterfly Hill climbed into the tree to protect

the magnificent redwood and to help make the world aware of the plight of

the ancient forests. From her perch she carried out a tremendous amount of

outreach to politicians, religious leaders, school children and citizens

worldwide.  After two years of risking her life, Julia, with the help of

members of the US Steelworkers of America and other forest activists,

successfully negotiated the permanent protection of Luna and a nearly

three-acre buffer zone.

The tree was protected by a Deed of Covenant, similar to a conservation

easement that is held by the land trust Sanctuary Forest. The Luna

Preservation Agreement, signed by Julia Hill and PL/Maxxam Corp., was

designed to protect Luna in perpetuity so the tree could live for another

millennium.

On Thanksgiving weekend it was discovered that a critical cut had been

made into Luna by a large chainsaw. The perpetrator made one deep and

precise cut that went through a significant portion of the tree. While the

tree is still alive and standing, Luna is extremely vulnerable to a

windstorm. Judging from the precision of the cut and the fresh sawdust,

the criminal action appears to have been committed by an experienced

treefaller within the last few days.

Julia Butterfly was devastated to learn of the injury to Luna, "Luna is

the greatest teacher and best friend I have ever had. I gave two years of

my life to ensure that she could live and die naturally.  But two years is

nothing compared to the thousand years she has lived, providing shelter,

moisture and oxygen to forest inhabitants. It kills me that the last 3% of

the ancient redwoods are being desecrated. I feel this vicious attack on

Luna as surely as if the chainsaw was going through me. Words cannot

express the deep sorrow that I am experiencing but I am as committed as

ever to do everything in my power to protect Luna and the remaining

ancient forests."

Circle of Life Foundation and Sanctuary Forest are researching what can be

done to stabilize the critically injured tree. There is a criminal

investigation at the crime site for clues as to who may have committed

this spiteful and malevolent action against this permanently protected

tree.

The forests surrounding Luna are sacrifice zones that were not protected

under the Headwaters Forest Agreement. Other sacrifice zones include the

old-growth Douglas fir forests on Rainbow Ridge in the Mattole River

watershed. Police convoys are actively trying to stop forest activists

from defending these forested steep slopes that are slated to be clearcut

during this rainy season.

Dana Stolzman

_

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