This study, which forms part of the wider DFID Forestry Research Programme study 'The Economic Analysis of Stakeholders in Participatory Forest Managment' , focuses on the issue of appropriate incentives for cocoa farmers to look after timber trees in Ghana’s high forest zone. Outside the forest reserves, cocoa farms are second most important source of timber after natural forests remants. With the forest reserves under increasing pressure from the industry, the off-reserve resource has an essential buffer role allowing progress to be made towards sustainable management on the reserves.