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...

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston

I happened to be browsing around Barnes & Noble one hot day, and found this book on sale. I vaguely recalled reading reviews about it on Amazon years ago, and was intrigued. Since I was ready for a new read, I snapped it up. I've been reading my old journals instead of novels lately, and I was ready for some new material.

I really enjoyed this nonfiction book that is jam packed with scientific information--more than I will ever remember--and also fascinating stories of the people who have devoted their lives, careers, or time to discovering and climbing the world's tallest trees. The focus is on redwoods in northern California, and I had to think about my dad every time I picked it up to read! I wondered how many of these trees he had seen. He had a great love for redwoods and worked with Dr. Taylor, back in the day, to encourage their growth on the Archer Taylor Preserve, even before it was the Preserve.

I wondered how much of this information he already knew. I remember one really interesting hike I took with Jane, Ann, and Ludwig, where we found a grove in Redwood Creek that had interesting burls growing out of them. It took Jane awhile to find it, but she had been taken there by my dad and shared how thrilled he was to have found them. 

I found the descriptions of the climbing riveting! I literally held my breath when the climbers were foolhardy or careless. The author goes to great lengths to explain different climbing techniques, and those were fascinating too. I'd love to visit the canopy they describe! It's amazing that the canopy was so recently discovered and so little understood! It's heart-breaking to think about the amount of redwood groves that were thoughtlessly logged and destroyed. I'd really like to take a trip to see these remaining redwoods; I've never explored Humboldt County or the other sites described, but I'd like to. However, I will not be climbing! I wish there were a simpler way to visit the tops of these trees...

The redwood grove on the preserve feels like a sacred cathedral to me, and has always inspired awe in me. This book has interesting characters who the author describes very well. The author is also a climber, and I enjoyed reading about his experiences, too. I'm thinking about who else would enjoy this book when I pass it on...probably Jane is at the top of my list. Well worth the time, but not a keeper. 

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston

Both my dad and my sister Jane recommended this book to me. My dad is famous for his love of redwoods, and that's what this book is all about. It's one of the most engaging nonfiction, scientific books I have ever encountered. I also learned a lot about my home state of California. It was interesting to me that Reed College students figure prominently in this tale, which focuses not only on the redwoods, but also on the people who pioneered climbing them. The story of different climbimg methods and the world they discover up in the canopy is enthralling. There are also good illustrations that help clarify some of the descriptions.

I was also hoping to use this book to increase my knowledge and understanding of nature. There is so much to learn and so much applicability to LIFE! For instance, I know redwood roots are very shallow...but they are interconnected and entwined to help support each other. How long would it take you to come up with a metaphor for THAT!? The problem is, I read this book on a very long flight...and while it made the flight go very quickly, I was also tired, and didn't take notes or do as much focusing on the nature lessons as I should have. I will definitely have to give this a second read and glean more. It will be a pleasure!