Mention of vast forests over large tracts of this State is found in the great epics, Ramayana  and  Mahabharat. During  medieval  time, the Rajahs and Nawabs  maintained  the more  accessible  portion  of the forests as  game reserves for their personal  enjoyment but  no serious  attempts were  made to regulate the working of the forests, especially as considerable stretches were still under thick natural forests which could easily meet all the needs of the people.

Under British rule, part of the territory of this state was administered as part of Bengal till  1835. When  the North  Western Province was created in 1902, Avadh and Agra provinces were amalgamated. After attaining Independence in 1947, the  princely  States of  Tehri-Garhwal,  Rampur and  Benaras  were merged with Uttar Pradesh in 1949.

The history of forest conservation in Uttar Pradesh begins in 1800 when
forest areas in Kumaon, Dehra Dun and Terai came under the British. In
the early stages a small fee was levied for the forest produce removed by the exporters. In 1826, cutting of sal was prohibited in certain areas.
Between 1855 and 1861, large scale fellings took place to meet the heavy demands for railway sleepers.

Major  Ramsey, Commissioner of Kumaon, was appointed as the first
Conservator of Forests in  addition to his other duties.  He introduced
rotational working and insisted on trees being  marked before felling. In
1867 he introduced fire protection in the sal  forests.  Gorakhpur  forests
were worked for sal to meet the needs of ship building.