Konni, the first Reserve Forest declared in Travancore, and the Act that made it possible

Background

The Kerala Forest Department's history page says Kerala retained three-quarters of its land as thick forests until the 18th century, and that the state's forestry history is best explored through Travancore, Cochin, and Malabar, regions that later merged to create Kerala State.
It records that in 1816 Lieutenants Ward and Coner conducted a survey of Travancore and Cochin, resulting in 'The Memoir of Travancore Survey'.
In 1844, rosewood and anjily were designated as royal trees, and the collection of cardamom and wax was monopolized by the government.
The Travancore Forest Act was enacted in 1887, leading to the declaration of Konni as the first Reserve Forest in 1888.
The Forest Department underwent a complete reorganization in 1896, aligning its structure with the British Forest Administration, which led to the division of the state into Divisions and Ranges.
The taungya system was introduced in Konni in 1910; the department says studies conducted at the Forest Research Institute later found it a significant contributor to soil erosion and forest land degradation.
The need for wildlife conservation was recognized in the 1930s, the first Game Warden was appointed in 1933, and the Periyar Lake Reserve was declared as Nellikkampetty Game Sanctuary, later becoming the Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary.