  Using an extensive sample of nearby galaxies (the Nearby Galaxies Catalog, by
Tully), we investigate the environment of the galaxies hosting low-luminosity
AGNs (Seyferts and LINERs). We define the local galaxy density, adopting a new
correction for the incompleteness of the galaxy sample at large distances. We
consider both a complete sample of bright and nearby AGNs, identified from the
nuclear spectra obtained in available wide optical spectroscopic surveys, and a
complete sample of nearby Seyferts. Basically, we compare the local galaxy
density distributions of the AGNs with those of non-AGN samples, chosen in
order to match the magnitude and morphological type distributions of the AGN
samples. We find, only for the early-type spirals more luminous than $\sim
M^*$, that both LINERs and Seyferts tend to reside in denser environments on
all the scales tested, from tenths of Mpc to a few Mpc; moreover Seyferts show
an enhanced small-scale density segregation with respect to LINERs. This gives
support to the idea that AGNs can be stimulated by interactions. On larger
scales, tens of Mpc, we find that the AGNs hosted in luminous early-type
spirals show a tendency to stay near the center of the Local Supercluster.
Finally we discuss the interpretations of our findings and their consequences
for some possible scenarios of AGN formation and evolution and for the problem
of how AGNs trace the large-scale structures.
