When the 2006 FRA was passed the Van Gujjars and SOPHIA decided to employ the Act to obtain the community’s forest rights.  Subsequently, SOPHIA also began to work with sedentary village communities, who share the forests with the Van Gujjars.  The aim of the work is to ensure forest dwellers’ lasting use, access and management of the forests by employing government channels.

In 2012 SOPHIA began to assist sedentary villages to claim their forest; these villages share the forests with the Van Gujjars. This addition to the project emerged when conflict arose between the Van Gujjars and the villages with regard to their forest rights. SOPHIA encouraged the parties to resolve their issues through the FRA. The progression of the project has led to both parties’ mutual appreciation of their forest rights. Furthermore, it has strengthened forest dwellers’ rights and increased pressure on the government to relinquish their power over India’s forests.

SOPHIA and the village communities have commenced the work towards compiling forest rights claims. The communities, rather than individuals will make the claims. The partners have communally mapped the villages’ communal forestlands and have started to collect evidence for claims. Evidence is primarily formed from Forest Department reports, forest tax receipts, villages’ presence in Forest Department plans and cemeteries. Whilst some villagers are members of the Forest Rights Committee, they are waiting for claims to be invited.