VANCOUVER, BC – Canadian Forest Owners has awarded Maritime College of Forest Technology student Matthew Bezanson the Christopher Lee Memorial Scholarship, based on his academic performance and passion for sustainable forest management on private forest lands in Canada. Currently, Matthew is finishing his last year of the 2-year program and plans on continuing his education at the University of New Brunswick to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Forestry.
Being from Nova Scotia, a province with a majority of its land base privately owned, Matthew grew up in a family with a history and heritage that was greatly influenced by the forest industry. “My goal is to help landowners find a balance between economic and environmental needs, a balance I know Mr. Lee recognized and valued,” says Matthew Bezanson.
Canadian Forest Owners is an organization that is an integral part of rural Canada with 450,000 woodlot owners living and working in communities across the country. CFO Chair Susannah Banks notes, “Canadian Forest Owners is impressed with the principles of good forest stewardship and science-based management, which are very much embodied in this young man and his passion to give back to both community and country.”
CFO has established the Christopher Lee Memorial Scholarship to honour the memory and legacy of Christopher Lee and to celebrate his innumerable contributions to the advancement of social and economic development in communities across Canada.
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ABOUT THE CHRISTOPHER LEE MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP
The $2,000 scholarship will be awarded each year to a post-secondary student enrolled in a forestry-related discipline at a Canadian university, college or technical school. All applications will be considered, but preference will be given to students who excel in their field with a special interest in forest policy, advocacy and research as it relates to private forest lands in Canada.
www.forestowners.ca