Steven claimed that the forest was his place of worship. Eventually he was released. He lived there for most of the spring and summer while volunteering at the Arcata Endeavor. Steven likes working there because it gives his life a sense of purpose. Sometimes a sense of purpose is all a person needs to carry on.
People live in the woods for many reasons.
Some live outdoors because they are homeless and prefer the forest to shelters, hotels and city streets. The beauty of the wilderness gives them the reason they need to carry on. But I've gotten to a point where I have had enough. There are families living in Oregon's national forests. Many of these people are laid-off loggers and mill workers searching for a way to carry on in the face of economic hardship.