Dakota College at Bottineau (DCB) is excited to announce that Michelle Cauley has been selected to receive the 2026 “Environmental Educator of the Year” Trees Award. The Trees Awards are sponsored by the NDSU-North Dakota Forest Service and will be presented during the Trees Bowl at North Dakota State University at the end of August in Fargo.

The Trees Awards recognize individuals, organizations and agencies who contribute in an outstanding way to forestry activities including: fire mitigation, tree planting or environmental education. These efforts improve North Dakota’s forest resources; enhance our quality of life; and impact the state’s health, safety and economy.

This award is presented to an educator who demonstrates creativity, dedication and commitment to teaching and whose outstanding leadership motivates others to learn about the benefits of forestry and the environment. Kayla O’Toole, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs shares, “Anyone who knows Michelle knows how passionate she is about environmental education. She goes above and beyond to create meaningful experiences for her students and inspire an appreciation for our natural resources. This recognition is so well deserved, and we are proud to celebrate this accomplishment with her.”

Michelle’s work alongside the Project Learning Tree and Project WILD programs and commitment to building tomorrow’s stewards of the land have earned this well-deserved award.