Here’s a rich overview of the storied history of Jim Corbett National Park:

🌳 From Forest to First National Park

The lands that became Corbett were originally forested areas under princely state control and later British ownership, used largely for timber (private use until roughly 1820, declared reserve forest in 1879)

In the mid-19th century, Major Ramsay initiated conservation efforts: banning farming in vulnerable valleys, removing cattle, and enforcing firewood and timber management

▶ The Birth of Hailey National Park (1936)

Conservationists like E. A. Smythies and Jim Corbett advocated for a protected area early in the 1900s

In August 1936, under the United Provinces National Park Act, the region was formally established as Hailey National Park, named after Governor Sir Malcolm Hailey—Asia’s first national park

🐅 Jim Corbett: Hunter to Conservationist

Born in Nainital in 1875, Corbett became famed for hunting man‑eating tigers and leopards—his books, like Man‑Eaters of Kumaon, chronicled his astonishing adventures
Tarangi Resort

He killed dozens of big cats before shifting to conservation in the 1920s, pioneering tiger photography and advocating for wildlife protection .

Corbett played a key role in the 1934 boundary demarcation efforts for the park .

🏞 Renaming & Expansion

Post-independence, the park was briefly renamed Ramganga National Park in 1954–55, then honored as Corbett National Park in 1955–57, largely due to influence from Govind Ballabh Pant, UP’s first Chief Minister—Corbett had passed away in 1955

Its core area expanded from the original ~324 km² to ~520 km² by 1966, with further buffer addition (Sonanadi & Kalagarh) by 1991, totaling ~1,318 km²

🐯 Project Tiger & Modern Conservation

In 1973, Corbett became the launch site for Project Tiger, marking a major milestone in India’s wildlife preservation efforts

However, the park faced challenges during WWII—poaching and logging surged—prompting more robust anti-poaching and eco-tourism measures in later decades .

🎖 Legacy Today

Recognized as one of India’s oldest and most biodiverse protected areas, the park today supports Bengal tigers, elephants, sloth bears, gharials, and over 600 bird species—including globally important bird-watching zones .

🗓 Timeline at a Glance Year Event

1820s British take over forests; logging begins
1879 Declared “Reserved Forest”
1884–1910 Corbett hunts first leopard and man-eaters
1936 Established as Hailey NP
1954–56 Renamed Ramganga → Corbett NP
1966 Park area increased
1973 Project Tiger launched here
1991 Buffer zones & reserves added

In essence: Corbett National Park stands as a testament to early conservation efforts in India—from colonial-era forest protection to its founding as Asia’s first national park and its critical role in tiger conservation. Jim Corbett’s transformation from hunter to advocate continues to inspire wildlife preservation in India today.