An understanding of changes in Amazonian landscapes depends on documentation about alterations in land cover. This paper addresses studies in areas of rural settlement in Rond�nia, where distinct actors have altered the pristine environment during the last twenty years. Two situations were compared in terms of their biophysical and institutional aspects. Remote sensing and fieldwork were used to map land-use/land-cover (LULC) changes. Settlers, loggers, forest peoples, and other local actors were interviewed about their production systems and land-use history. Spatial metrics were calculated to analyze changes in landscape composition and configuration. The results indicate that the combination of private lots with communal reserves, managed by local populations, produces positive outcomes in maintaining larger patches of forest. The research is intended to serve as a contribution to analyses and syntheses about LULC change processes, subsidizing public policies that incorporate social and environmental dimensions. Current trends within the region are also addressed.