Indian Forest Act of 1865
- The Forest Act of 1865 gave the British government power to declare any land covered with trees as a Government Forest, the authority to control it, and rules to manage it. This gave the government undisputable power to regulate the forest and its pastures. The government mainly used the woods for manufacturing railway sleepers. Teakwood was also made government property by this law. The rights of Indian communities to forests were limited and authority was transferred to the British government.
- Forest land became extremely important since it could generate revenue and fulfil the growing demands of the expanding railway network. Timber supplies were limited so that’s why forest land needed to be taken by the British. Indian teak could also be used in shipbuilding which helped the British in the war with Napoleon.
- This act got rid of centuries-old traditional use by the local communities of the forests and gave the colonial British governments complete control over the forests.
British Forest Policy in India
The British Empire used and exploited all the available resources of the countries they colonized. So it is no wonder the forests of India were an important resource for the British. The Indian Forest Act was enacted in 1865 and then it was amended in 1878 and 1927.