What does it take? The role of incentives in forest plantation development in Asia and the Pacific

Over the past two decades, political developments as well as macro-economic and extra-sectoral policies have affected the forests of Asia and the Pacific to an unprecedented extent, resulting in deforestation and forest degradation. Responding to the diminishing capacity of the region's natural forests to produce timber, many countries have turned to forest plantations. Governments and their respective forest agencies are asking what it takes to encourage non-government entities to grow trees. Yet little is known about the role that direct and indirect incentives have in influencing plantation development. This publication helps fill this knowledge gap by examining how incentives influence plantation development through a series of country case studies in the region. The overall picture that emerges is sufficiently coherent to outline a set of guiding principles to help policy-makers and forest managers better understand the key issues, challenges and opportunities concerning private investment in forest plantation development.