Grant Hadwin

Hadwin is the subject of John Vaillant's 2004 book The Golden Spruce and Sasha Snow's 2015 documentary film Hadwin's Judgement. The film includes reenactments in which Hadwin is portrayed by actor Doug Chapman.

In January 1997, Hadwin traveled to Haida Gwaii and purchased a chainsaw and other felling equipment. Early on the morning of January 20, 1997, he swam across the freezing Yakoun River with all of his equipment and made a series of strategic deep cuts in Kiidk'yaas (the Golden Spruce). The cuts were designed to leave Kiidk'yaas standing, but weakened, so that it would be knocked over by the next strong winds. The tree fell two days later.

Hadwin's court appearance was scheduled for February 18, 1997, in Masset. Numerous people speculated that Hadwin would be killed before he could stand trial. Hadwin stated that he feared for his safety if he were to travel from Prince Rupert to Masset by ferry or plane, and decided to make the trip across the Hecate Strait (a notoriously stormy and violent body of water) alone by kayak.

In June 1997, the wreckage of Hadwin's kayak and equipment was found on uninhabited Mary Island, an island about 4 miles long located 70 miles (110 km) northwest of Prince Rupert at the entrance to Revillagigedo Channel.

Thomas Grant Hadwin (born October 25, 1949) was a Canadian forest engineer. In January 1997, he felled Kiidk'yaas (also known as "the Golden Spruce"), a Sitka Spruce tree located on the Haida Gwaii archipelago and considered sacred by the Haida people. Hadwin stated that he cut the tree down as a protest against the logging industry. While facing criminal charges for the act, he disappeared en route to his trial. His fate remains unknown.