Luna, an ancient redwood tree known internationally following Julia Butterfly Hill's historic two-year tree-sit protest against unsustainable logging, was victimized by a cruel chainsaw attack sometime around last Thanksgiving. An unknown number of attackers cut nearly 60 percent of the way through the majestic tree. Sanctuary Forest sprang into action in its role as the designated trustee of the Luna Covenant that concluded Julia Butterfly's tree-sit and saved Luna from a timber harvest plan.

The Luna stabilization effort had two phases: diagnosing the damage to Luna and installing a series of braces on her trunk and then engineering and installing cables to anchor Luna to the ground. Luna has withstood the ravages of wind, fire, earthquake, and electrical storms for the better part of a millennium. Although the stabilizing systems that her human friends have installed never could equal the strength of her own holding wood, the prognosis is good. With the help of the metal sutures and cables, Luna has withstood several significant storms this season. As long as Luna remains standing, there is sufficient biological functioning in the surviving connection between root and branch to sustain a substantial live crown. However, significant dieback in the crown is likely because the chainsaw cut was so severe.

The successful Luna stabilization effort, like the tree-sit, was
overwhelmingly volunteer-powered. The organizations and individuals that contributed are too numerous to list here, but it is through their spirit that Luna lives!


More Updates

• August, 2003 Update
  
• November, 2002 Update
  
• May, 2002 Update
  

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