Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Joan Baez in Tree to Help Save Garden

Giving new meaning to the term "tree full of nuts".

LOS ANGELES - Folk singer Joan Baez and tree-sitter Julia "Butterfly" Hill have taken up residence in a tree to raise awareness about a 14-acre urban farm threatened with demolition.

Hill, who lived in a redwood in Northern California for more than two years to prevent loggers from cutting it down, said Tuesday that she, Baez and others will occupy the tree in shifts.

Two door-sized platforms have been placed in the tree for the sitters, and a support group has set up an encampment on the ground.

Hundreds of farmers could face evictions after The Trust for Public Land came up $10 million short in its bid to buy the site. The nonprofit group was not able to raise the $16.35 million required by the time the purchase option expired Monday.

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