Activist Julia Butterfly Hill to speak on April 19

York College will launch its new minor in Sustainability and Environmental Studies by hosting a talk by activist and author Julia Butterfly Hill. Hill will speak about sustainability issues that transcend disciplines, as the new minor (available this fall) is composed of classes throughout a wide variety of disciplines including chemistry, biology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, geography, and history. The event will begin at 3:30 p.m., April 19, in the Life Science Theater and is open to the public free of charge.

Hill brought international attention to the plight of the world’s last remaining ancient forests when she climbed 180 feet into the branches of a 1000-year‐old redwood tree and refused to come down. Her historic protest to the environmental destruction caused by the clear‐cutting of northern California’s ancient redwoods culminated after 738 days with a negotiated agreement that provided permanent protection for the tree, known as “Luna,” and a three-acre buffer zone around it.

Hill is an activist, a writer and a poet. She is the author of the national best seller “The Legacy of Luna” and the co-author of an environmental handbook, “One Makes The Difference.” Her audio release, “Spiritual Activation, captures Hill’s vital message as it is given at standing‐room‐only appearances across the country. She is also co-founder of the Engage Network, which trains leaders to create social change, and the inspiration behind its program “What’s Your Tree.”