Why were forests affected by wars?

Why were forests affected by wars?

Ans.

(i) The two world wars had a disastrous impact on forests. In India, working plans were abandoned and the forest department cut trees freely to meet the British war needs.

(ii) In Java, the Dutch followed the ‘scorched earth policy’ destroying sawmills and burning teak logs to prevent them from falling into Japanese hands.

(iii) After Japan occupied Indonesia, it recklessly exploited the forests to meet the needs of their own war industries. Many villagers took this opportunity to expand cultivation in the forest.

(iv) After the war, it was difficult for the Indonesian forest service to get this land back.

(v) In India need for agricultural land brought people into conflict with the forest department’s desire to control the land and exclude people from it.