She lived in a tree for '738 days' to save it—and she actually won.

The 23-year-old woman lived on a tiny platform about 180 feet above the ground in an ancient redwood tree. On December 10, 1997, Julia Butterfly Hill climbed into the tree, initially intending to stay for just a few weeks. She called her host tree Luna and stayed there to protect the redwood from being cut down. The tree was estimated to be more than 1,000 years old and grew in Northern California, where logging threatened ancient redwoods. Hill's long stay in the tree ended with an agreement to protect Luna and about three acres of the surrounding land.

An article published in the Los Angeles Times on December 19, 1999, reported the conclusion of Hill's protest. She negotiated with the Pacific Lumber company owning the land and descended from the tree on December 18, 1999. In exchange, the company agreed not to log Luna and the 2.9 acres surrounding it. Additionally, Hill promised to raise $50,000 to compensate the company for the profits it would forgo by not logging the area. The company was to send the money to Humboldt State University for forestry research. The agreement brought Hill's 738-day protest to a close.

How Hill secured Luna's protection

Initially, Hill intended to spend two to four weeks in the tree. However, the campaign continued as Hill tried to prevent logging. Her living arrangements consisted of a simple platform between branches and a tarp for shelter, while supplies were hauled up by rope. Hill had to endure harsh weather conditions in the tree canopy.

In a letter published by Sanctuary Forest on December 10, 2019, to mark the 22nd anniversary of Hill's climb, she reflected on the difficulties of her stay. Hill described surviving severe storms and resisting what she said were attempts to force her down, including sleep deprivation and helicopter activity near the tree. Her account also acknowledged the people who supported the campaign. Sanctuary Forest, a nonprofit land trust in Humboldt County, published her recollections as part of its work to protect the region's forests.

The settlement covered payments for forestry research and a commitment not to cut down Luna, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. The settlement did not end the more extensive conflict between Hill and the Pacific Lumber Company concerning logging in Northern California, but it ensured protection for that specific tree, which Hill protested against. Her protest also brought the issue of deforestation in the forest environment to attention, where there was worry about the effects of logging on the old-growth habitat.

Beyond the protest: Protecting Luna

Hill's website, titled Julia Butterfly Hill, gives a description of this event as an integral part of the campaign aimed at protecting ancient redwood forests. Hill worked with steelworkers and environmentalists to secure protection for Luna and a three-acre buffer zone around the tree. This ancient tree stands on the ridge above Stafford, California, overlooking the Eel River.

Sanctuary Forest began monitoring the Luna Covenant Agreement in December 1999. In November 2000, an unidentified vandal cut deeply into Luna's trunk with a chainsaw, leaving the tree vulnerable to strong winds. Sanctuary Forest, which monitors the conservation agreement, helped coordinate efforts to assess the damage and stabilize the redwood.

The tree is not open to the general public. Hill's website explains that access requires crossing private property and that no public roads lead to the site. Foot traffic around the tree could also contribute to soil erosion and damage its root system. Restricting access helps protect the tree and the surrounding land covered by the agreement.