The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill

 I really enjoyed learning more about one of my favorite things in life: TREES!

I started this while Len and I were in Bigfork, Montana, and I was savoring every deep breath of PINE and loving being among the trees again. It was the perfect read for the flights back home!

Julia Hill recounts her journey to become involved in saving a particular old growth redwood tree, named LUNA. She's very naive, and passionate, and risks her life without very much background or knowledge of trees or the environmentalist movement. It reminded me of when I marched against the Viet Nam War knowing very little about any of it!

As Butterfly takes us along on her life in the upper reaches of Luna, we learn along with her about the various forces at work to destroy the forest. She is spurred on by her spiritual confirmation that she MUST save this tree, no matter what. As time goes on (she lives in the top of this tree for two years), she learns and grows and becomes even more committed to this particular tree. 

I enjoyed learning about her challenges--how to stay warm, how to survive in the storms, how to toilet, how to keep her mental health, and how to stay in a place of love when dealing with the loggers who were determined to oust her. Even though her view is definitely her view, and there's no redeeming words for the logging executives or the politicians involved, it's till worthwhile reading her story and her viewpoint, I think. I'm clearly on her side, but I'm cognizant that there is more to this fight than is presented here. 

Butterfly is a descriptive and good writer who was able to keep me turning the pages. I was also intrigued as she climbed around Luna barefoot, and felt the tree's strength. It was heartbreaking to read about her reaction to Luna's destruction. Since this book is twenty years old, I'm wondering what is going on with her and with Luna nowadays...