Canadian Forest Owners (CFO) is proud to announce it has awarded University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Forestry master’s student Rosalia Jaffray its $2,000 Christopher Lee Memorial Scholarship for her outstanding academic and leadership achievements. With an undergraduate degree in Harvest Planning and Engineering, Jaffray’s graduate studies focus on optimizing sustainable forest management practices using a novel open-source modeling framework for forest operational planning. Jaffray is registered both as a Forester-in-Training and an Engineer-in-Training, and plans to complete these professional designations after graduating.
“I am delighted that my research aligns with Christopher Lee’s legacy advocating for sound forest policy, sustainability, and the welfare of forest-dependent communities, and will help to ensure private forest landowners have the tools they need to better respond to dynamic changes in operational environments,” remarks Rosalia Jaffray, UBC Faculty of Forestry Master’s Student.
Rosalia led a student advisory group for the BC Minister of Forests, where she guided a team in drafting a report that provided youth perspectives on the future of forestry. This initiative underscores her leadership in fostering meaningful dialogue between youth, industry leaders, and policymakers, contributing to a more inclusive and forward-thinking approach to forestry management.
“Rosalia exemplifies a commitment to the managed sustainability of our forests through innovation and technology. With climate change driving increased wildfires, flooding, and disease, the need for dynamic and responsive forest management has never been more critical,” comments Andrew de Vries, Chief Executive Officer, CFO.
Bonnie Braithwaite-Lee Chris’s wife adds, “As one of few women in Forest Operations research, Rosalia serves as a positive role model for female students. Her contributions are particularly notable in the context of advancing the presence and influence of women in forestry and engineering fields, where the mentorship and leadership she demonstrates are invaluable.”
CFO 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. In 2025, the fund is partially supported by Chris’s family Bonnie Braithwaite-Lee and Scott Lee. Since 2022, CFO has awarded more than $58,000 to advance the education of technicians and undergraduate students in forestry-related programs, and to support a variety of impactful research programs conducted by graduate students.
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