Journey of Indian forestry and its development from past to modern era

Abstract

The history of Indian forest is closely linked with political history. The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata give an attractive description of forests. The Dandakaranya, the Khanadavban and the Nandanvan come from them. Ancient Hindu culture is said to have evolved in Aryans. Literatures are not however scientific treaties. Nevertheless, they give a glimpse into dim and distant past. They are an indication of the level of significance the forests had in the cultural life of people. The dense forests of India have been found to have protected the land in the past, but population grew, the forest began to deplete. However, historically, the people of India have respected forests, and many religious ceremonies focused on trees and plants. Gautama Buddha preached that people should plant trees every five years, and sacred groves were marked around temples. Chandra Gupta Maurya and Ashoka also recognized the importance of forests and implemented polices for their protection and growth. During the British colonial period, the forests were gradually appropriated for revenue generation, but after India gained independence in 1947, a new Forest Policy was established to protect the forests and retain a third of India’s land area under forest cover. Forests have been playing a vital role in meeting the demands of domestic and in meeting the demand which ushered in a total mismatch between demand and supply. Over the following years, people’s attitudes towards forests changed, leading to significant development in forestry in India. More emphasis is given to conservation and management of forests, which contributes to sustainable development of forestry in India. A large number of forest-based industries were set up, which contributed immensely towards the economic growth of the country.