Which statement correctly explains an economic cause of deforestation in the colonial period?

Correct answer: Forests were cleared for revenue, timber and plantation profit

Direct answer: B, forests were cleared for revenue, timber and plantation profit. Economic motives mean that land, wood or other resources were being used to earn income or support profitable activities. In the colonial period, clearing forests could make land available for plantations, provide timber for state and commercial needs, and bring revenue through cultivation or control of resources. A is too narrow and does not explain the economic motive. C is wrong because large-scale clearance usually served identifiable administrative or commercial purposes. D is wrong because wild animals do not organise plantation expansion, revenue collection or commercial timber extraction. Remember the three-part clue in B: revenue is government income, timber is a saleable resource, and plantations are profit-oriented cultivation.