Tag: forest society and colonialism

Questions Related to forest society and colonialism

The best forests were _____.

  1. Protected forests

  2. State forests

  3. Village forests

  4. Reserved forests


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

A reserve forest or a reserved forest is a specific term for designating forests and other natural areas, which enjoy judicial or constitutional protection under the legal systems of many countries.

Forest department in India was set up in _____.

  1. 1865

  2. 1864

  3. 1854

  4. 1884


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

India was one of the first countries in the world to introduce scientific forest management. In 1864, the British Raj established the Imperial Forest Department. In 1864 Dr Dietrich Brandis, a German forest officer, was appointed Inspector General of Forests.

Which of the following was the reason for forests disappearing near railway tracks?

  1. Wood was used to make railway sleepers.

  2. 'Scorched earth' policy of imperial troops

  3. Indiscriminate exploitation by tribals

  4. Indiscriminate cutting of trees by contractors


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

As the railway tracks spread through India, a larger and larger number of trees were felled. The government gave out contracts to individuals to supply the required quantities. These contractors began cutting trees indiscriminately. Forests around the railway tracks fast started disappearing.

Why were some forests classified as "protected"?

  1. In these, the customary grazing rights of pastorals were granted but their movements were severely restricted.

  2. The colonial officials believed that grazing destroyed the saplings and young shoots of trees that germinated on the forest floor.

  3. Both (a) and (b)

  4. None of these


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

A protected forest is a forest with some amount of legal or constitutional protection, or where the habitat and resident species are legally accorded protection from further depletion. Protected forests of India were introduced in the Indian Forest Act, 1927 in British India and were retained after Indian independence.

Adivasis and farmers cut wood

  1. To build their homes.

  2. To make paper.

  3. To make implements

  4. Both A and C


Correct Option: D

The railway network expanded rapidly in India from:

  1. 1860's

  2. 1870's

  3. 1880's

  4. 1890's


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The railway network started expanding rapidly during the second half of the 19th century. By 1890, the length of the railway track was about 25,500 km. It touched the figure of 7,65,000 km in 1946.

Adivasis and villagers sold forest produce to buy _____.

  1. Salt

  2. Iron

  3. Both a and b

  4. Sugar


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Adivasis and villagers sold forest produce to buy salt, iron, medicines, cloth and tabacco.

The wood for sleepers was cut from the forests in _____ and _____ regions.

  1. Himalayan, Terai

  2. Eastern Ghats, Western Ghats

  3. Eastern Ghats, Deserts

  4. Islands, Coastal


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The wood for sleepers was cut from the forests in Himalayan and Terai regions.

Forests consisting of which type of trees were preferred by the Forest Department?

  1. Forests having trees which provide fuel, fodder and leaves

  2. Forests having soft wood

  3. Forests having trees suitable for building ships and railways

  4. Forests that were useful to the common people


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Forests having trees suitable for building ships and railways were preferred by the Forest Department. The wood for these sleepers was cut from the forests in the Himalayan and Terai regions. Wood was also cut and sold in huge quantities for buildings, mines and ships. This work was done by workers hired by timber traders and forest contractors.

Shifting agriculture is also known as ______ in India.

  1. Jhumming

  2. Milpa

  3. Roca

  4. Ladang


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system in which plots of land are cultivated temporarily, then abandoned and allowed to revert to their natural vegetation while the cultivator moves on to another plot.