A Woman Who Lived In A Tree For Two Years Came Up With One Strange Survival Method
Living in the heart of a redwood forest in California, Julia Butterfly Hill might seem to have acquired some prime real estate. But her home comes with plenty of environmental hazards. After all, it’s located almost 200 feet above the ground — and she’s had to develop some unusual skills to survive.
Difficult opponents
Back in the late 1990s Hill decided to protest against deforestation by setting up camp in Luna, a 1,000-year-old redwood tree. And for two years, she faced off against opponents who tried to intimidate her from both the land and air. But frustrated loggers and security guards were not the only difficulties that she had to negotiate.
Life in the treetops
As she went about her daily life in the treetops, Hill was always just a slip away from disaster. If she put a foot wrong at any time, she risked a fatal plummet to the ground far below. So how did this determined environmental activist survive for so long in such a harsh environment?
An unusual ordeal
Interestingly, Hill didn’t just survive her unusual ordeal — she actively thrived in her woodland home. Using solar-powered technology, she conducted interviews, spoke on cable TV, and helped raise awareness for the cause. And thanks to her efforts, Luna still stands some 25 years after a woman named Butterfly first shimmied her way up its ancient trunk.
Julia Butterfly Hill
Born in 1974 in Missouri, Hill acquired her unusual nickname at seven years old, when a butterfly landed on her during a family hike. At the time, she was living in a camper with her parents and brothers, accompanying her minister father from place to place. Eventually, though, the family settled in the Arkansas city of Jonesboro.
