I noticed some strange trees in Kerala, and later learned they were eucalyptus, brought in during the colonial period when forests were treated mainly as sources of profit, timber, and fuel. The British liked eucalyptus because it grew quickly and looked practical, but they misunderstood the land and treated a plantation as if it were the same as a real forest. Today, people can see the damage more clearly: what seemed efficient on paper often used a lot of water, weakened the soil, and reduced biodiversity.