AFFORESTATION 



IN THE 



UNITED PROVINCES, INDIA. 



INTRODUCTION. 



THE object of this book is to deal as briefly as possible with 

 the history of afforestation in the United Provinces, and to plaoe 

 on record all important information which has been collected 

 during the past few years. Before doing so it is desirable to 

 describe briefly the conditions leading up to the necessity for an 

 organized scheme of afforestation or, more properly speaking, of 

 reafforestation. 



There is evidence that the greater part of the earth was at 

 one time or another covered with trees and shrubs differing in 

 character according to local conditions. The increase in population 

 has gradually made inroads on the natural forests which have 

 consequently been considerably reduced and, in places, even obliter- 

 ated altogether. 



The reckless extermination of forests by the hand of man or 

 through excessive grazing by cattle, sheep, and more especially by 

 goats, is most noticeable in those backward countries where the 

 people lack education and where stable government is wanting, but 

 such a state of affairs also exists in every continent of the world. 

 In many cases steps have already been taken to prevent this whole- 

 sale destruction by the introduction of scientific forestry in all its 

 .branches ; but in many countries the forests have already been 

 reduced far below the requirements of the people and in such 

 countries afforestation is necessary, if only to meet the demands of 

 the population in respect of forest produce. Of far more impor- 

 tance, however, is the deleterious effect of forest denudation on the 

 preservation of a country from erosion and final sterility. 



The United Provinces can be classed as a country where the 

 reckless extermination of forests has been allowed to continue 

 unchecked for centuries, until the present forests cover only 7 

 per cent, of the total area and are confined almost entirely to 

 the hills and sub-montane regions. Out of 48 districts in these 

 provinces only 15 districts have forests of any importance. The 

 present reserved forests can only serve a circumscribed area and 

 it is most urgently necessary to create new forest estates, not 



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