Progress of Forestry in Bengal

Forest conservation work in Bengal dates back to 1864 and the first Conservator's office was created in 1865. Within a decade, forests were demarcated as reserves over an area of about 60,000 square miles. This, of course, included Bihar, Orissa and Assam, which were then under Bengal Presidency. Before the partition in 1947 Bengal had roughly 7,000 square miles of reserved forests. After partition West Bengal has now about 4,200 square miles of forests including about 1,500 square miles of private forests, which have recently vested in Government. Forest management work started soon after consolidation and Working Plans began to function from 1873. To start with, work was first undertaken in the hills and everywhere selection fellings were started. In the hills clear-felling in big blocks was first started and regeneration obtained artificially. From 1919 onwards a regular Taungya system for artificial regeneration came into practice. Valuable exotics like teak and mahogany in the foot-hills and plains and Cryptomeria in the hills were attempted as early as 1866 and some good plantations of this are still to be seen. Just before partition Bengal Private Forest Act (1945) was passed and an attempt to conserve private forests in the State was made. After partition the Act was amended (West Bengal Private Forest Act, 1948) and the provisions of the Act more rigidly enforced. Since April, 1955 most of these private forests have vested in the State of West Bengal. From 1948 onwards extensive plantations in the treeless, dry and eroded zone of central and western sectors were attempted and between 1948 to 1956 some 38 square miles have been planted. A shelter belt of Casuarina trees was raised along the coastal belt of Midnapore District. From 1946 to 1956 some 8 miles of a shelter belt has been raised.