Which statement best shows the colonial view of deforestation?

Correct answer: Forests were seen as resources for revenue timber and commercial use

The direct answer is option B: colonial rulers viewed forests as sources of revenue, timber, and commercial use. Their administration often judged forests by the money, raw materials, and government benefits they could provide. Timber was valuable for railways, ships, construction, and trade, while cleared land could be used for cultivation or plantations and could yield revenue. Option B is correct because it describes this economic and commercial view. Option A is wrong because colonial policy did not treat forests only as spiritual spaces. Option C is wrong because forests were considered highly useful for wood, land, and income, not useless. Option D is wrong because forests were not always left for local communities; colonial laws often restricted customary access and took control away from them. The important contrast is between a commercial state view and the many livelihood, cultural, and ecological uses forests had for local people. Memory cue: colonial forest policy usually means profit, timber, revenue, and control.