Q 1 – What were the factors responsible for deforestation in the 17th century. Mention any two.
Ans. (i) Industrialisation (ii) Growing population
Q 2 – Why did the colonial rules consider forests as unproductive.?
Ans. The colonial rules considered forests as wilderness that had to be brought under cultivation so that the land could yield agricultural products and revenue and enhance the income of the state.
Q 3 – In the colonial period cultivation expanded rapidly for a variety of reasons. Mention any two.
Ans. (i) The British directly encouraged the production of commercial crops so the land was cleared for cultivation.
(ii) The colonial state thought that forests were unproductive.
Q 4 – How does the disappearance of forests in England lead to deforestation in India. ?
Ans. The disappearance of oak in England created a problem of timber supply for the Royal Navy So by 1820’s search parties were sent to explore the forest resources of India.
Q 5 – Name the Act which was enacted to protect the forest.?
Ans. The Indian Forest Act,1865.
Q 6 – Whom did the British appoint as the First Inspector General of Forests in India?
Ans. Dietrich Brandis.
Q 7 – Who Set-up the Indian Forest Service in India?
Ans. Dietrich Brandis.
Q 8 – What was scientific forestry?
Ans. Under scientific forestry natural forests are cut down and replaced by commercial trees.
Q 9 – The Gond forests community belongs to which state of India?
Ans. Chhattisgarh
Q 10 – Name the colonial Power in Indonesia. ?
Ans. Dutch.
Q 11 – Who were Kalangs?
Ans. The killings were java community of skilled forests cutters and practiced shifting cultivators.
Q 12 – What was the basic cause of the rebellion in the forests of Bastar ?
Ans. The colonial government’s decision to reserve two-thirds of forests was a major setback for the locals. No individual was allowed to access these forests.
Q 13 – Who was Gunda Dhur?
Ans. He was a tribal leader of the Dhurwas of the kanger forest. the tribal people revolted against the unjust forest policies of the British under his able leadership.
Q 14 – When and why was the Indian forest service set up?
Ans. The Indian forest service was set up in 1864.
Reasons:
(i) To save the forest: The British were worried that the use of the forest by local people and the reckless felling of trees by traders would destroy forests.
(ii) Management of Forests: Brandis realized that a proper system had to be introduced to manage the forests and people had to be trained in the science of conservation.
(iii) Introduction of scientific forestry: Another important object of the Forest Service was to introduce scientific forestry In scientific forestry, natural forests which had lots of of the different types of trees were cut down. In their place, one type of tree was planted in straight rows.
Q 15 – What was a scorched earth policy followed by Dutch during the Second world war?
Ans. Under this policy, the Dutch destroyed sawmills, burnt huge piles of giant teak logs so that these don’t fall into Japanese hands.
Q 16 – What was the use of a dried scooped out gourd in some forest areas of India?
Ans. The dried scooped out gourd can be used as a portable water bottle.
Q 17 – Who was Surontiko Samin ?
Ans. He was the tribal leader who was responsible for launching the samin Movement against the Dutch government he argued that the state had not created the wind, water, earth, and wood, so it could not own it.
Q 18 – What for was the thorny bark of the semur trees used?
Ans. The thorny bark of the semur trees was used for grate vegetables.
Q 19 – How are forests useful to us?
Ans. Forests provide bamboo, wood for fuel, grass, charcoal, packaging, fruits, flowers, animals, birds, and many other things.
Q 20 – Which common feature is found in the Amazon forests and the Western Ghats?
Ans. It is possible to find as many as 500 different plant species in one forest patch in the Amazon forests and the Western Ghats.
Q 21 – Mention the reason for increased landmass under cultivation in India.
Ans. Over the centuries, the population increased, demand for food went up so peasants extended the boundaries of cultivation, clearing forests, and breaking new land.
Q 22 – Why did the British encourage the production of commercial crops in India?
Ans. The demand for commercial crops like jute, sugar, wheat, and cotton increased in 19th century Europe. Foodgrains were required to feed the growing urban population and raw materials were needed for industrial production.
Q 23 – What are sleepers?
Ans. Wooden planks laid across railway tracks, to hold them in position are called sleepers.
Q 24 – How did the forests around railway tracks start disappearing.?
Ans. The railway tracks expanded, trees were being cut for sleepers. The government gave out contracts to individuals to fulfill the supply and they cut the trees indiscriminately.
Q 25 – Who was Dietrich Brandis?
Ans. Dietrich Brandis was a German expert who was invited by Britishers to give advice on the matters of forest management. He was made the first Inspector General of Forests in India.
Q 26 – How did the new forest laws affect the hunter and forest dwellers in 1927?
Ans. Forest Act meant severe hardship to villagers. After the Act, all their everyday practices like cutting wood for houses, grazing cattle, collecting fruits and roots, hunting and fishing became illegal. They were punished for poaching.
Q 27 – What is Swidden agriculture?
Ans. In Swidden agriculture, parts of the forest are cut and burnt in rotation. Seeds are sown in the ashes. The crop is harvested by October-November. Such plots are cultivated for a few years and then left follow for 12-18 years for the forest to grow back.
Q 28 – What did the large animals signify in Britishers’ view?
Ans. The Britishers saw large animals as a sign of a wild, primitive and savage society. They believed that . by killing dangerous animals they would civilize India.
Q 29 – How did some people benefit from the laws of the forest department?
Ans. The laws of the forest department opened up new opportunities in trade. Some communities left their traditional occupations and started trading in forest products.
Q 30 – Who were the Mundurucu peoples of the Brazilian Amazon?
Ans. Mundurucu peoples of the Brazilian Amazon lived in villages on high ground, cultivated manioc, and collected latex from rubber trees for supply to traders.
Q 31 – What did the World Bank propose in the 1970s?
Ans. The World Bank proposed that 4600 hectares of natural sal forest should be replaced by tropical pine to provide pulp for the paper industry.
Q 32 – Why did the Dutch feel the need to enact forest laws in Java?
Ans. In the 19th century, when it became necessary to control territory and not just the people, the Dutch enacted forest laws in Java, restricting villagers’ access to forests. Now wood could only be cut for specified purposes.
Q 33 – What was Samin’s challenge?
Ans. Randublatung village was a teak village. Surontiko Samin questioned state ownership of forests. People protested against the Dutch by lying down on their land, and by refusing to pay taxes or fines or perform labor.
Q 34 – What is scientific forestry? How did the forest officials implement it?
Ans. In scientific forestry, natural forests, which had a different kind of trees, were cut down. In their place, one type of tree was grown in straight rows.
Forest officials surveyed the area and estimated how much of the plantation was to be cut. The area was then replanted and trees could be cut after a few years.
Q 35 – Why was hunting popular in India and what were its effects?’
Ans. Stunting of the big game was a popular sport in India. It was a popular sport among the emperors and nobility.
Many Mughal paintings show emperors and princes enjoying a hunt. Under colonial rule, hunting increased to such an extent that many species became extinct. For the British, large animals was a sign of primitive society. They believed that by killing large animals, they would civilize India. Tigers, leopards, and wolves were killed because they posed a threat to the villagers. Over 80,000 tigers, 150,000 leopards and 20,00,00 wolves were killed. Only then did environmentalists and conservators advocate that these animals had to be protected.
Q 36 – Who were the Kalangs of Java? How did Samins challenge the Dutch?
Ans. Kalanga of Java was a community of skilled forest cutters and shifting cultivators. Without their expertise, it would have been difficult to harvest teak and for the kings to build their palaces. When the Mataram kingdom was split in 1755, the 6000 Kalang families were equally divided between the two kingdoms. When the Dutch gained control over the forests, they tried to make Kalangs work under them. The Kalanga revolted and attacked the Dutch fort at Joana.
Around 1890, Surontiko Samin of Randublatung village, a teak forest village, began questioning the state ownership of forests. He was supported by his sons-in-law and about 3000 families. Some of the Saminists protested by lying down on their land when Dutch came to survey it, while others refused to pay taxes or perform labor.