Luna (tree) facts for kids
Luna is the name of a very old and tall coast redwood tree. It is about 1,000 years old and stands 200 feet (about 61 meters) tall. Luna became famous in October 1997 when a forest activist named Julia Butterfly Hill lived in it for 738 days. She did this to save the tree from being cut down by a company called Pacific Lumber Company. After a long time, an agreement was made, and Luna was saved. Later, someone tried to harm the tree, but it was repaired and is still standing strong.
Where is Luna Located?
Luna is not inside the Headwaters Forest, which is a special protected old-growth forest. Instead, it stands on a windy ridge that looks over a small town called Stafford. This town is in Humboldt County, California, south of Scotia. Because it's so close to Stafford, some people also call it the "Stafford Giant."
In 1996, a big landslide happened in Stafford. This was caused by clearcut logging, where all the trees are cut down, on the steep hills above the town. The landslide buried most of Stafford in mud and tree parts, up to 17 feet (about 5 meters) deep. Eight homes were completely destroyed.
The Story of Luna
The Luna tree is about 1,000 years old and had been hit by lightning. A group of environmental activists from Earth First! gave it the name Luna. They built a small platform from old wood in the tree to use for a tree-sit. They chose the name Luna because the moon was rising when they were there. Luna is the Latin word for moon.
For 738 days, from December 10, 1997, to December 18, 1999, a forest activist named Julia Butterfly Hill lived on that platform. She was about 180 feet (about 55 meters) above the ground. Julia lived in Luna to protect it and the trees around it from being cut down. The Pacific Lumber Company, which was owned by a company called Maxxam Inc., planned to clear-cut the area.
After a long time, the Pacific Lumber Company and Julia Butterfly Hill made an agreement. They agreed to save Luna and a 200-foot (about 61-meter) buffer zone around it. In return, $50,000 was paid to the company. After this agreement, Julia left the tree. She later wrote a book called The Legacy of Luna about her experiences living in the giant redwood.
In November 2000, someone used a chainsaw to cut halfway through the tree. This was an act of vandalism. In 2001, a civil engineer from Eureka named Steve Salzman led a team to help Luna. They designed and built a special bracing system to help the tree stay strong during very windy storms. Winds in that area can reach between 60 and 100 miles per hour (about 97 to 161 kilometers per hour). A professor from Humboldt State University, Steven Sillett, also helped them.
In early 2002, a naturalist named Paul Donahue confirmed that Luna had survived the damage. Today, Luna is cared for by Sanctuary Forest, which is a nonprofit organization.
