Trees Award winners were recognized at the Sept. 20 Trees Bowl sponsored by the North Dakota Forest Service and NDSU. Three of the 14 honorees were from NDSU:

• Bob Bertsch, Web technology specialist, Agriculture Communication, Media Outreach Award
• Scott Hochhalter, soil conservation specialist, North Dakota State Soil Conservation Committee, Bismarck, Distinguished Service Award
• NDSU Bison Athletics, represented by Troy Goergen, senior associate athletic director for marketing and media relations, Tree Celebration Award

The Trees Awards recognize individuals, organizations and agencies who contribute in outstanding ways to forestry activities, such as fire mitigation, protection and suppression; tree planting, preservation, or maintenance; community forestry efforts; forest management practices; forest recreation; or environmental education.

The recipients participated in a ceremonial tree planting and were honored at halftime of the NDSU Trees Bowl football game.

The Forest Service also distributed 3,000 Colorado blue spruce and bur oak trees after the game.

NDSU is recognized as one of the nation's top 108 public and private universities by the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education.