What was the main administrative benefit of changing natural forests in scientific forestry?

Correct answer: Planning and supervision of timber production became easier

The direct answer is B: planning and supervision of timber production became easier. Scientific forestry tried to make forests more predictable and commercially manageable. Natural forests contain many species, different ages and irregular growth. Administrators often replaced them with planned, usually single-species plantations arranged in measured blocks. This made it easier to count trees, decide cutting schedules, estimate timber supply and supervise workers. Option B is correct because it states the administrative and commercial benefit. Option A is wrong because changing forests had nothing to do with measuring the sea. Option C is wrong because local rights did not automatically increase; in many cases customary rights were restricted. Option D is wrong because scientific forestry increased official control rather than ending it. A useful chain is: planned plantations → easier counting and scheduling → easier timber administration. Memory cue: scientific forestry meant “regular trees, regular records, regular control.”