The History and Manifestation of MoonTree

If ever I doubted the transformative energy field within the Park Ecovillage, the sequence of events leading up to the 2011 arrival of legendary American environmental activist Julia Butterfly Hill was proof of the magic and miracles that manifest here.

For me as a journalist in the Findhorn Foundation Communications Office it started with the decision to create more balance in my life, with a lot less screen time.

I joined the team of Park Gardeners for some shifts and found myself busy with the rather unpleasant task of clearing a site of prickly and scratchy gorse bushes that even penetrated my rugged work gloves.

It was on this site that we intended to build a wooden Eco building called MoonTree as a headquarters for the gardeners, especially for in the heart of winter when not much grows and it’s nice to hunker down out of the cold.

I came across a beautiful angel figurine in the undergrowth and called Brazilian Rona Ribeiro, the garden focaliser, over to have a look.

“Let’s do a photo of you holding the angel,” I suggested. “We can use it to promote the fundraiser for MoonTree.” She wasn’t convinced, however I was persistent and submitted the photograph and a caption to our local Rainbow Bridge publication.

Rona Ribeiro with the angel figurine

Talk about synchronicity. An Italian guest spotted the news snippet and told me that she helped manage Julia Butterfly Hill’s programme. “Maybe she’ll come to Findhorn”, she mused.

Making an immediate connection between Julia’s tree Luna and the proposed MoonTree building, the Italian guest was true to her word and persuaded Julia to journey to Scotland.

Julia famously stopped loggers in their tracks with her 738-day tree-sit in a 1 500-year-old California redwood tree called Luna. Her brave actions prevented it from being felled as part of a lumber company’s clear-cutting operation.

Julia Butterfly Hill

She endured incredibly harsh conditions for two years including a murderous attempt to blow her out of the tree using a helicopter. The much-publicised standoff ended when an agreement was reached that protected the tree and a buffer zone around it. Her non-violent protest brought significant international attention to the issue of deforestation and the need for forest conservation.

Following the protest, she wrote The Legacy of Luna: The Story of a Tree, a Woman, and the Struggle to Save the Redwoods. She became a prominent voice for environmental protection and the youngest person inducted into an Environmental Hall of Fame.

A few weeks after my conversations with the Italian guest I had the pleasure of welcoming Julia to the Community and attending her inspiring talk in the Universal Hall. It was entitled, ‘Spiritual Activation: Living Lives of Purpose, Passion and Power ‘.

Julia recalled, “When I entered the majestic cathedral of the redwood forest for the first time, my spirit knew it had found what it was searching for. I dropped to my knees and began to cry because I was so overwhelmed by the wisdom, energy and spirituality housed in this holiest of temples.”

I had the privilege of spending time with Julia and she is charismatic, passionate, eloquent and a beauty inside and out.

“What do we want our legacy to be,” she asked? Her challenge is to turn inspiration into action and uncover the ways in which we can unlock our gifts and transform blocks and challenges into our greatest contributions.

“Each of us is more powerful than we could ever imagine,” she said. “We are so often just a thought away from having a magical life beyond belief. We are ancestors of the future, contributing to the vitality and well-being of all those with whom we share this beautiful, sacred life.”

She added, “I am very grateful that Findhorn is a place for people from all over the world to come, learn, share, and practice living in harmony with the Earth, with each other, and with all life. The MoonTree project is yet another way for Findhorn to carry out this mission.”

Proceeds from Julia’s talk helped cover her travel costs, and kickstarted the MoonTree fundraiser.