Question

Why were forests cleared off rapidly during the colonial period? Give two reasons.

Answer 1

Hint: Early colonial legal thought was greatly influenced by religious ideas, which lasted from 1607 to the end of the American Revolution (1775–83; a war fought between Great Britain and the American colonies in which the colonies gained independence). The present American criminal justice system is based on legal notions brought to the New World by early English settlers.

Complete answer:
As trade and transportation grew, railway development became a necessity. The steam locomotives need wood as a fuel source. Wood was also required for the construction of railway line sleepers, which connected the railway tracks. As a result, forests were destroyed to produce the wood required for railway expansion. The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom required large ships. Ships are made of solid, long-lasting wood. When England's oak woods began to dwindle, the British turned their attention to India's forest riches. Large amounts of timber were exported from India to England for shipbuilding, depleting India's forests.

The United Kingdom possessed the world's largest colonial empire. The shortage of oak forests posed a significant timber challenge for England's shipbuilding industry. From the 1820s or 1830s to export vast quantities of lumber from India, trees from Indian forests were felled on a massive scale for the Royal Navy, large wooden boats, ships, courtyards for shipping, and other uses. As a result, the subcontinent's forest cover was fast dwindling.

Note: Large swaths of natural woodland were also removed to make way for commercial cultivation or plantations. Commercial crops such as jute, rubber, indigo, and tobacco were grown to supply Britain's expanding demand for these goods. The British colonial administration acquired control of the forests and sold a large tract to Europe. On the high slopes, large tracts of forest were cleared to plant tea or coffee. This has also contributed to India's declining forest cover.