Although Rio de Janeiro state (RJ) is the third smallest of the 27 Brazilian states in land area, its environmental diversity is vast; the variability of altitudes and geomorphological situations create significant ecological heterogeneity throughout the state. Human occupation in the region dates back approximately 8000 years, and when Europeans first arrived in Brazil in 1500, they discovered the agricultural practices developed by indigenous populations. The arrival of the Europeans, though, represented a sharp breaking point in land use patterns, ecosystem alteration, and erosion and soil depletion – all of which substantially altered the landscape. This chapter will focus on the historic economic eras of RJ, cycles that included sugarcane, coffee, charcoal energy production from firewood, and livestock. Each of these socioeconomic phases resulted from specific economic and historical contexts and caused distinct transformations to the landscape. As a direct consequence of its past use, only about 30% of RJ land area is presently covered by forest vegetation; the aforementioned economic eras have converted the remaining 70% of the state into pasture.