"All this heavy machinery and vehicles caused a lot of soil compaction, changed the landscape, and allowed more sand to move and caused a lot of erosion, " she said.

CNN: November 12, 2012 -- Updated 1223 GMT (2023 HKT)

Industrial waste, much of it toxic, litters the landscape, poisoning the soil, water and air.

CNN: China's industrial growth fuels major pollution problems

Plants in the surrounding parks have been employed successfully to photoremediate the landscape, removing toxins from the soil.

WSJ: Opportunities for Geniuses

The scheme is an agri-environment scheme, which provides funding for farmers to manage their land in a way designed to benefit biodiversity and landscape features and improve the quality of water and soil.

BBC: Environment and Sustainability Committee

The landscape in the reserve is parched, the acacia scrub withered and the soil dry, thirsty for the coming rains.

BBC: Before the storm in Cameroon