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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 executive summary of the main publication provides an overview of plantation development in the Asia-Pacific region; introduces the concept of, and rationale for, providing incentives; and summarizes the main insights gained from the case studies. The picture that surfaces is sufficiently coherent to conclude with guiding principles for supporting plantation development.