The region of the Near East known as the Fertile Crescent is where humans first settled on the land and began to engage in farming and herding, starting some ten millennia ago. Consequently this region has borne the brunt of continuous exploitation longer than any other region. The impacts include widespread denudation of natural vegetation and entire biotic communities; erosion of slopes and plains; as well as silting, waterlogging, and salination of valleys. Degradation of land, along with depletion and pollution of water resources, exacerbate the region's current problems and conflicts. Yet much can be done to rectify past abuses and to restore damaged environments by means of reforestation, reseeding of rangelands, and the conservation as well as efficient management of soil, water, and biotic resources.