Winning ideas from Dr. Manisha Parajuli鈥檚 forestry lab celebrate forests and the life
they sustain
Nischal Sapkota and Ashmita Bhandari have earned national recognition for forestry-themed
T-shirt ideas shared with professionals from across the country.
Both students study with Dr. Manisha Parajuli, assistant professor of forestry at
网曝吃瓜.
Sapkota won first place in the 2026 Forestry T-Shirt Design Contest for 鈥淭he Original Wood Wide Web,鈥� and Bhandari placed third for 鈥淔orests: Where Life Begins.鈥� Organized by Rayonier and the Society of American Foresters, the contest invites participants to express their enthusiasm for forestry through creative messages and imagery.
鈥淣ischal and Ashmita have found creative ways to share why forests matter,鈥� Dr. Parajuli said. 鈥淭heir success gives them an opportunity to connect with the wider forestry community and brings national attention to the talent of 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 graduate students.鈥�
For the , Rayonier worked with a designer to develop submitted ideas into T-shirt designs, then invited the public to vote for their favorites among 12 finalists.
The winning designs were featured at the , held Oct. 6鈥�9 in Tacoma, Washington. Shirts featuring the designs were available
free at Rayonier鈥檚 booth, introducing attendees to the students鈥� ideas.
owns more than 4 million acres of land across the United States, with businesses
that include sustainable forest management. The Society of American Foresters supports
forestry professionals and advances sustainable forestry and natural resource management.
For Sapkota and Bhandari, the awards offer a national platform for communicating the value of forests. Their achievements also highlight the opportunities 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 graduate students have to share their knowledge and creativity beyond the classroom, advancing the public engagement mission of Kentucky鈥檚 only public HBCU and 1890 land-grant university.