CHAPTER I. 



HISTOBY AND EVOLUTION OF FOBEST MANAGEMENT IN THE 

 UNITED PROVINCES. 



TN this brief review of the history of the forests and the evolution 

 est management and working plans since the advent of 

 Forest department, it has only been possible to mention a few 

 salient factors influencing the gradual development of forest 

 administration in these provinces, more especially with regard to 

 3 technical management of the forests which has now culminated 

 permanent organisation of a special branch for the 

 reparation and revision of working plans and the study of the 

 problems of silvicultural research. 



The forests of the United Provinces once extended down from Early 



hills and occupied a considerable tract of country in the 

 tic plain, more especially in the districts comprising the old 

 kingdom of Oudh. In the west the clearance of the forest for 

 turn was almost complete in very ancient times and the 

 denudation of the Siwaliks was already in progress in the reign of 

 In the east, however, the clearance of large tracts of sal 

 s continued from ancient to recent times and culminated 

 the policy of land grants immediately after the British occupa- 

 efore this period the sal forests of Oudh extended far 

 down into the plains. What now remains is a mere fraction of 

 BIP ongmal extent and even at the present day the rapid 

 d^ppearance of the remains of the private forests may be seen in 

 the Khen and Pihbhit districts. 



Marriott has prepared a history of the Gorakhpur forests from 

 t times so far as this is possible and the history of 

 -orakhpur 1S similar to that of the other divisions of the Eastern 

 L/ircle. 



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