Kiidk'yaas
Encyclopedia
Kiidk'yaas, also known as the Golden Spruce, was a Sitka Spruce
tree
, Picea sitchensis 'Aurea', that grew on the banks of the Yakoun River
in Haida Gwaii archipelago, British Columbia
. It had a rare genetic mutation
causing its needles to be golden in color.
On January 22, 1997, a 48-year-old unemployed forest engineer named Grant Hadwin
surreptitiously felled the tree as a political statement against industrial logging companies. He was later arrested, but disappeared on his way to trial.
According to John Vaillant's book "The Golden Spruce", what is believed might be Hadwin's broken kayak and effects were found on a remote island some time after he went missing in a rough sea. Whether he had been killed, accidentally drowned, or left his belongings behind on purpose is not known.
However, in 1977, a group of botanists from the University of British Columbia
(UBC) had visited Haida Gwaii in order to take cuttings. These cuttings were grafted
onto an ordinary sitka spruce, resulting in golden saplings. The trees were grown in the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
.
Upon hearing of the tree's destruction, the arboretum
offered one of the young trees to replace the fallen tree. Upon being accepted, the young tree was planted near where the tree had stood. In addition, attempts were made to propagate approximately 80 parts of the felled tree.
The only wood harvested from the tree was used by Nova Scotia luthier George Rizsanyi and broadcaster Jowi Taylor to make a guitar dedicated to Canadian history. Also included in the guitar were pieces of wood from Pierre Trudeau's canoe paddle and Paul Henderson's hockey stick and fabric from one of Karen Kain's ballet costumes.
Sitka Spruce
Picea sitchensis, the Sitka Spruce, is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to 50–70 m tall, exceptionally to 95 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 5 m, exceptionally to 6–7 m diameter...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
, Picea sitchensis 'Aurea', that grew on the banks of the Yakoun River
Yakoun River
The Yakoun River is the largest river on Haida Gwaii, off the North Coast of British Columbia, Canada. Estimated to be in length, it is located on Graham Island, the northernmost and largest of the archipelago, and runs in a twisting course generally northwards from Yakoun Lake, which lies near...
in Haida Gwaii archipelago, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. It had a rare genetic mutation
Mutation
In molecular biology and genetics, mutations are changes in a genomic sequence: the DNA sequence of a cell's genome or the DNA or RNA sequence of a virus. They can be defined as sudden and spontaneous changes in the cell. Mutations are caused by radiation, viruses, transposons and mutagenic...
causing its needles to be golden in color.
On January 22, 1997, a 48-year-old unemployed forest engineer named Grant Hadwin
Grant Hadwin
Thomas Grant Hadwin was a Canadian forest engineer. In January 1997, he cut down Kiidk'yaas , a landmark tree in British Columbia's Queen Charlotte Islands, as a protest against the logging industry. While facing criminal charges, he disappeared en route to his trial.Hadwin was born in West...
surreptitiously felled the tree as a political statement against industrial logging companies. He was later arrested, but disappeared on his way to trial.
According to John Vaillant's book "The Golden Spruce", what is believed might be Hadwin's broken kayak and effects were found on a remote island some time after he went missing in a rough sea. Whether he had been killed, accidentally drowned, or left his belongings behind on purpose is not known.
However, in 1977, a group of botanists from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
(UBC) had visited Haida Gwaii in order to take cuttings. These cuttings were grafted
Grafting
Grafting is a horticultural technique whereby tissues from one plant are inserted into those of another so that the two sets of vascular tissues may join together. This vascular joining is called inosculation...
onto an ordinary sitka spruce, resulting in golden saplings. The trees were grown in the UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
UBC Botanical Garden and Centre for Plant Research
UBC Botanical Garden, at the University of British Columbia, was established in 1916 under the directorship of John Davidson, British Columbia's first provincial botanist. It is the oldest botanical garden at a university in Canada....
.
Upon hearing of the tree's destruction, the arboretum
Arboretum
An arboretum in a narrow sense is a collection of trees only. Related collections include a fruticetum , and a viticetum, a collection of vines. More commonly, today, an arboretum is a botanical garden containing living collections of woody plants intended at least partly for scientific study...
offered one of the young trees to replace the fallen tree. Upon being accepted, the young tree was planted near where the tree had stood. In addition, attempts were made to propagate approximately 80 parts of the felled tree.
The only wood harvested from the tree was used by Nova Scotia luthier George Rizsanyi and broadcaster Jowi Taylor to make a guitar dedicated to Canadian history. Also included in the guitar were pieces of wood from Pierre Trudeau's canoe paddle and Paul Henderson's hockey stick and fabric from one of Karen Kain's ballet costumes.