Julia Hill

Environmental activist who lived 738 days in a redwood tree to prevent logging

Known as Julia Butterfly Hill (b.1974), this unconventional conservationist occupied a 180-foot-tall California redwood named Luna from 1997-1999. Her tree-sit protest against Pacific Lumber Company drew global attention to unsustainable logging practices in ancient forests.

Despite enduring El Niño storms and corporate harassment, Hill's epic civil disobedience resulted in permanent protection for Luna and surrounding groves. Her activism pioneered direct environmental action tactics, inspiring later movements like Stop Cop City. Through speaking tours and The Legacy of Luna memoir, she redefined ecological advocacy as spiritual practice.