Social forestry programs have become an increasingly popular approach to mitigate deforestation and biodiversity loss in forest-rich countries. These programs emphasize the involvement of local communities or indigenous peoples in establishing sustainable forest management systems in their respective regions. The aim is primarily to prevent further deforestation, while promoting rural development, environmental protection and the welfare of forest-dependent communities. The Indonesian government has been implementing several social forestry schemes to counter the adverse impacts of rapid agricultural expansion and infrastructure development on the well-being of local communities. This chapter examines one of these, the customary forest scheme (hutan adat), which recognizes customary indigenous land rights and hands over forest management to indigenous people. Past research has shown that recognition of indigenous land rights can ensure the revitalization of traditional forest management which, in turn, may help safeguard the sustainability of forests and community. However, some doubts have arisen as to whether indigenous communities are ready and capable of securing the long-term sustainability of the program. This chapter will discuss cogent issues surrounding the implementation of customary forest schemes in Indonesia by examining the experience of a recognized customary forest in Rantau Kermas village in Jambi province in central Sumatra.