What do you mean by ‘reserved forest’?

Option a: Reserved for growing medicinal herbs
Option b: Reserved for commercial exploitation
Option c: Reserved for hunting
Option d: All the above

Hint: This term reserved forest was first introduced in the Indian Forest Act, 1927. These forests are accorded a certain special protection in India. Satpura national park was the first reserved forest of India.

Complete Step by Step answer: The forests having special protection are called reserved forests in India. State governments declare a forest to be reserved forest or protected forest. The forest which enjoys judicial protection is called reserved forest. The natural habitat of reserved forests is protected. These forests have a high degree of protection from hunting and poaching. Protecting forests is important because forests contribute an important part in our life. Forests convert carbon dioxide into oxygen which helps us to breath. Only one tree can produce about 6000 pounds of oxygen in 50 years which is enough for around 4 people per year. Forests are also an important place in terms of biodiversity. More than 50 million indigenous people live in forests. Tropical forests are very effective at carbon sequestration. The forests all around the world should be protected because these forests contribute so much in our life.
The meaning of reserved forest is that the forest is reserved for hunting, commercial exploitation and medicinal herbs. Hence option d is the correct answer.

Note: Reserved forests and protected forests are different. The main difference between these two is that activities like hunting, grazing etc. are banned in reserved forests unless specific orders are issued and activities like hunting and grazing is not banned in protected areas for communities living near them.