Julia Butterfly Hill, an environmental activist, spoke to Rice Elementary School fourth-graders on May 21, after which some of the students participated in a hands-on project based on the talk.
Hill is best known for fighting for a 1,500-year-old California Redwood tree in Humboldt County. She lived in the 180-foot tall tree—in a tent—for two years between 1997 and 1999 in order to prevent loggers from cutting it down. She successfully helped negotiate permanent protection of the tree, which is nicknamed Luna and is currently monitored on a monthly basis by Sanctuary Forest, a nonprofit based in Humboldt County.
She spoke to more than 130 students about protecting the redwood forests and other ecosystems. As a follow up, several fourth-graders constructed their own ecosystems with a plant, a goldfish, and a system to cycle water. It was the culmination of lessons students learned throughout the year about ecosystems and how Mother Nature has an abundance of life forms based around the foundation of trees in the forest.
Rice School fourth-graders raised the money to bring Hill to speak at their school. In March, students in Michael Muscio’s class held a Donors Choose fundraiser. Donors Choose is a philanthropic website that allows individuals to easily donate to schools and student projects across the country. The students raised more than $3,000.
“Julia Butterfly will show the students that one person can make a difference by standing up for trees, which are the foundation of many ecosystems,” Muscio said in a press release sent out before the event. “She is the kind of person who lives what she believes, and that’s always important for students to learn and emulate, regardless of the subject.”
This article appears in May 29 – Jun 5, 2014.