How were forests classified during the British rule in India?
During the British rule in India, forests were classified on the basis of the provisions of Forest Act, 1878. The classification was as follows:
- Reserved Forests The forests that were highly protected came in this category. Villagers were not allowed to take anything from these forests and hunting, grazing was not allowed.
- Protected Forests The forests under this category were also protected, however villagers were permitted to collect woods from these forests and grazing to some extent was also allowed.
- Village Forests They were located near the villages and could be exploited by villagers for domestic purpose only and not for commercial purpose.