摘要:This article presents a literature review concerning on some conceptions of nature. The discussion starts with some of the main continuities and ruptures on the meanings of nature in History. Subsequently, the discussion is brought to Brazil’s context, and its reflections on the concept of nature and environment found in some classics of Brazilian social sciences. Finally the focus turns to the understanding of perceptions, visions, and meanings of nature and environment in the semiarid zone of Brazil. This article aims to contribute to the historical comprehension of the relationship between society and environment, at least with regard to the conceptions, perceptions, or visions aggregated to the Brazilian semiarid nature and environment. It is intended to provoke thought about the necessity of achieving a better historical understanding of the relationship between society and environment, especially in local contexts. Therefore, it is believed that the Local Environmental History provides a better understanding of contemporaneous environmental issues as a reflection of past actions, which is an urgent demand in Brazilian semiarid region.