Beyond Gadgil: Balfour's 1878 Warning on Western Ghats

Edward Balfour's 1878 report, 'The Influence Exercised by Trees on the Climate and Productiveness of Peninsular India,' was an early warning against deforestation in southern India. This work by a Scottish surgeon predates later environmental discussions, including the Madhav Gadgil report. The insights were noted in 'Keralathinte Paristhithika Charitravijnanakosham,' a new Malayalam encyclopedia.

This 280-page publication from the State Institute of Encyclopaedic Publications (SIEP) explores Kerala's environmental history over the last two centuries. It covers diverse themes, from colonial resource exploitation and documentation of natural wealth to people's movements for nature protection and significant natural disasters.

The encyclopedia features entries on invasive species like Lantana camara, which, introduced from the Americas, became widespread in Kerala by 1892. It also documents destructive events such as the 1924 and 2018 floods, the 2004 tsunami, the 2017 Cyclone Ockhi, and the 2024 Mundakkai-Chooralmala landslides.

Sebastian Joseph, External Editor, noted the colonial era's structural changes in environmental perspectives, viewing them as potentially exploitative but also highlighting the British focus on documenting regional natural wealth. The work aims to be a reference for understanding the colonial and post-colonial environmental history of the region.

Director Muse Mary George stated the book chronicles Kerala's environmental history using documents dating back 200 years. Co-Editor Prathyush Chandran added that the encyclopedia serves as a critical intervention into current environmental anxieties, given the global concerns of climate change, degradation, and species conflict. The book is set for release on Thursday, May 14, 2026.