ABSTRACT
In 1862, the advisability of conserving the forests of Bengal was considered on the basis of a memorandum prepared by Dr. Brandis, Conservator of Forests in Burma. In 1872–1873 a revised scheme was prepared by Mr. Home, Deputy Conservator and Dr. Schlich, Conservator of Forests; this scheme aimed not so much at conservation of the forest, as at regulating exports of forest produce. The rules for the cutting of timber in the reserved blocks limited the felling of sundri trees to those 3 cubits in girth; the royalty for sundri wood was fixed at ½ an anna and for firewood at ¼ anna per maund. Emboldened by his success in establishing the first reserve, Dr. Schlich recommended that the whole of the unleased area in the Sundarbans should be placed under the Forest Department. By the year 1880–1881 the annual revenue derived from the reserved and protected forests amounted to Rs.2,79,408 at an expenditure of Rs. 65,251.
