I am a member of a research team led by Sharachchandra Lele, examining the implementation and outcomes of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006, a recent legislation with far-reaching potential to democratize forest governance in India. Through my consideration of livelihood transitions and power relations, I contribute to the research team’s overall emphasis on the central Indian region, where more than one-third of India’s Adivasi (Scheduled Tribe) peoples reside, and which contains more than a quarter of India’s forests. In the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, we examine the social and ecological outcomes of forest rights recognition and the challenges of community forest management planning by integrating a focus on livelihoods as well as biodiversity conservation. Our research project is a part of ATREE’s Forests and Governance programme.