There is a strong perception that the current forest governance regime in Ghana excludes some important stakeholders. Landowners, local communities and farmers believe they are not actively involved in decision-making and receive little financial benefits from forest resources. As a result, there is no incentive for these stakeholders to engage actively in tree tending and conservation. These stakeholders are compelled to remove trees and support illegal timber harvesting practises (chainsaw lumbering). The result is a rapidly declining timber resource. What does the evidence on the ground say about these perceptions and the current governance regime?

This project studies three issues arising from the current state-controlled management (governance) of timber trees in Ghana:

1. The measures to control timber harvesting
2. The economic benefit-sharing arrangement and its implementation
3. The compensation payments to farmers for damage to crops caused by felling and hauling.

The overall hypothesis of the study is that the state has failed to govern the timber resource in accordance with the goals stated in the Forest and Wildlife Policy. Sub-studies will be commissioned to document the situation in relation to specific policy-issues individually and in combination. The results are expected to point towards required changes in the way timber trees are currently governed.

Objective
The overall objective is to contribute to a governance system that:

• secures the long-term viability of the forest reserves,
• creates appropriate financial incentives for landowners, local communities and farmers,
• motivates stakeholders to engage in tree tending and conservation in both forest reserves and off-reserve areas.

Duration
January 2007 to December 2009

Expected outputs
This project targets three main information and knowledge outputs:

• Scientific proof that the current governance system has not worked properly and is conflicting with the Forest and Wildlife Policy
• Various alternative governance models analysed
• Revised timber governance system elaborated, based on:
  - Active participation of landowners, local communities and farmers
  - Financial benefits from the resource for them
  - Long-term viability of the forest reserves
• Training of at least one PhD candidate and an MSc candidate