Policies of forced migration due to environmental degradation expose migrants to a number of potential risks, particularly in developing and newly industrialized countries such as China. This article aims to explore the contribution of institutional governance and migrant participation to the mitigation of these risks. Based on an empirical survey conducted in two villages in Chinas Ningxia province, we consider the interactive relations between migrants and local government, and find that the participatory nature of local institutions (or lack thereof ) plays a fundamental role in determining the success of migration policies. Thus, the risks of social dislocation are not inevitable consequences imposed on migrants: When given the opportunity, they can adapt, influence, and improve resettlement projects in order to mitigate the risks to which they are exposed.