Why can deforestation under colonial rule be called an administrative decision?

Correct answer: Because the colonial government determined forest use through policies and laws for agricultural expansion, railways and plantations

Under colonial rule, the government used policies and laws to control forests for revenue, agricultural expansion, plantations and timber for railways. Therefore, deforestation was not merely a natural event; it was also a result of state administrative decisions. Natural disasters may damage forests, but they do not explain the large-scale planned clearing under colonial rule. Exam tip: mention policy, revenue, railways and plantations as administrative purposes.