Implementation of Scientific Forestry and Consequent Promulgation of First Forest Act of 1865 in India

Abstract

Forest encirclements had always been the dominant feature of any moving economy in any administrative structure but for colonial phase of British India it had been characterized by disallowing the forest dewellers to have any claim on the fruits of nature.It meant a total negation of rights of people being dependent on forests.This encirclement was no doubt done by the forest act of 1865 and later on the implementation of the act 1878 laid the basis of a fine engulfing of forest products by colonial forest authorities. Science was very well used as an apparatus to achieve a compact scientific conservation through the application of scientific methods but scientific forestry achieved the custodial approach of strengthening state control and denied the customary rights of the user exercised by peasant and tribal authorities. The creation of strictly protected government reserves  denied access to these resources. The promulgation of the first forest act of 1865 and subsequent acts outlined such denial in a more regressed manner.