FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November, 27 2000

Contact: Circle of Life Foundation: (707) 923-9522, (707) 923-4619

The small hamlet of Stafford, California is the site of a landslide that originated on PL/Maxxam land that destroyed seven families' homes. Stafford is also home to the Stafford Giant, an ancient redwood tree now known to the world as Luna. The tree was named Luna by forest activists who used the light of the full moon to rig a treesitting platform 180 feet high in the redwood in October, 1997.

On December 10, 1997 Julia Butterfly Hill climbed into the tree to protect the magnificent redwood and to help make the world aware of the plight of the ancient forests. From her perch she carried out a tremendous amount of outreach to politicians, religious leaders, school children and citizens worldwide. After two years of risking her life, Julia, with the help of members of the US Steelworkers of America and other forest activists, successfully negotiated the permanent protection of Luna and a nearly three-acre buffer zone.

The tree was protected by a Deed of Covenant, similar to a conservation easement that is held by the land trust Sanctuary Forest. The Luna Preservation Agreement, signed by Julia Hill and PL/Maxxam Corp., was designed to protect Luna in perpetuity so the tree could live for another millennium.

On Thanksgiving weekend it was discovered that a critical cut had been made into Luna by a large chainsaw. The perpetrator made one deep and precise cut that went through a significant portion of the tree. While the tree is still alive and standing, Luna is extremely vulnerable to a windstorm. Judging from the precision of the cut and the fresh sawdust, the criminal action appears to have been committed by an experienced treefaller within the last few days.

Julia Butterfly was devastated to learn of the injury to Luna, "Luna is the greatest teacher and best friend I have ever had. I gave two years of my life to ensure that she could live and die naturally. But two years is nothing compared to the thousand years she has lived, providing shelter, moisture and oxygen to forest inhabitants. It kills me that the last 3% of

the ancient redwoods are being desecrated. I feel this vicious attack on Luna as surely as if the chainsaw was going through me. Words cannot express the deep sorrow that I am experiencing but I am as committed as ever to do everything in my power to protect Luna and the remaining ancient forests."

Circle of Life Foundation and Sanctuary Forest are researching what can be done to stabilize the critically injured tree. There is a criminal investigation at the crime site for clues as to who may have committed this spiteful and malevolent action against this permanently protected tree.

The forests surrounding Luna are sacrifice zones that were not protected under the Headwaters Forest Agreement. Other sacrifice zones include the old-growth Douglas fir forests on Rainbow Ridge in the Mattole River watershed. Police convoys are actively trying to stop forest activists from defending these forested steep slopes that are slated to be clearcut during this rainy season.



Dana Stolzman

Trying to overcome the odds by competing on a strictly mundane level, playing their game exclusively, and losing, is an unfortunate cycle that the American left would do well to examine. The next time that the materialists show up to continue their suicidal earthly agenda, have everybody chant the mahamantram in unison! Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Trust me on this one. Of course, it will look culturally ridiculous for a group of Earth First! ecodefenders to do this, so feel free to blame me entirely for any consequences. Whereas I'm so far out of the pc-lefty loop nowadays, I couldn't care less. My love to all.

Earth First! is hardly concerned with being politically correct, but I do applaud your achievement of spiritual correctness. Perhaps I should chant more, then I would know exactly which causes to support. Hey, soup is good! And vegetarian to boot! Ommmmmmmmm.....

Hi Jon, How's everything? I did NOT mean that I don't care about the earth and others. I meant that I do not care what anybody on the American left thinks about me. I do what I do, and am not interested what the pc-lefty types think at all. I have a lengthy frontline Earth First! history, among other achievements. Checkout my "Philadelphia Story" at www.phillyimc.org, detailing what I did on the east coast the past six months. Personally, I practice integral yoga with an emphasis on yogic samadhi. This is quite acceptable in radical circles in India...it's not so easily understood in America. By now, you no doubt understand that I couldn't care less about this fact. Peaceout.

Craig,

Your post came across a bit smug. Please explain your "pc-lefty loop" comment. Do you think you're the first environmentalist to have discovered eastern mysticism or the spirituality of deep ecology?



peace,

Jon

Jon, I'm not being smug. I'm being smart, based on experience. Checkout the infighting as detailed for the past twenty years in the Earth First! Journal. There was some clarification due to all of the egotism, but not enough to have made the contentiousness worth it. It certainly didn't do anything for the earth, I can tell you that. I was there for it all. From now on, I'm ignoring the egotists and gossipers. Not smug...smart! Peaceout.

Julia Butterfly has been the victim

herself of infighting and jealousy within the

Earth First! movement. That may be why she left

it (I think) to hook up with Earth Island Institute

and form her own organization "Circle of Life Foundation"

http://www.circleoflifefoundation.org/

Julia is a bright light for me, with her emphasis

of love. She is one of my heros. So I cry with her

when I read this poem she wrote regarding the recent

cutting of Luna:



I heard today . . .

Luna's been cut.

Two-thirds and maybe more.

Someone in their rage,

in their anger,

in their frustration

struck out at Luna

wanting to hurt Her . . .

wanting to hurt me

the way they must be hurting inside.

See . . .

what we do to the Earth

we do to each other.

And how we treat the Earth

is reflected in how we treat each other.

The pain I feel right now that threatens to rip me apart

is the pain I feel every time I see an Ancient Elder cut . . .

the pain I feel every time another species goes extinct . . .

the pain I feel every time someone yells at a child . . .

the pain I feel every time another woman dies of breast cancer

caused by all the legal pollutants in her food,

her planet,

her life . . .

The pain I feel every time I think of Leonard Peltier locked inside

our prisons of disrespect and disconnect.

On and on and on

the pain in our world grows bigger and erupts.

Ricocheting bullets school yards and halls.

Chainsaws to sacred beings.

When do we begin to look at where this DIS-EASE begins?

In the disconnection from the sacred . . .

In the disconnection from the heart.

The person who ripped metal into Luna's flesh

is just as ripped apart inside as Luna now is,

as I now am,

as is the world.

May the tears that pour out from the depths of my soul

cleanse the sadness of any who would wish to react in rage.

The person who so viciously attacked Luna

has enough anger for the world.

May we love ever more

May we motivate ourselves to committed love in Action

May we motivate ourselves to live the life we wish to see in the world.

May we be the transformation we wish to see in the world.

From the inside out . . .

From the roots branching upwards . . .

From the heart

to thought

to word

to action.

Through life's trials and hardships

we can arise beautiful and free.

Julia Butterfly

Sunday, November 26, 2000

I believe, after further consideration, that it is necessary to go back even further than vedic times...back to the original, eternal, unmanifest spiritual Absolute. In the midst of the mushrooming world confusion, this makes sense! Mentally united with the source, revolutionary ecology groups will be successful...no doubt.

We must hump as many tree's as possible.

Pro-Create with the tree's!!!!

CALL TO ACTION

Clear cut the trees! Long live the logging companies. Rape and pillage the Earth!!!

Must Cut tree's to live....MMMM WOOD.

Hippie will not stop me!

Nuke the hippies! Nuke the trees! Kill anyone who dares oppose our plan to enrich the logging companies!