You might find this interesting.
Quoting:
It's amazing how bare, dead dirt can be turned into living soil with some simple techniques that don't require chemicals or government involvement. Some enterprising property owners in far-flung corners of the world have used grazing herds of cattle and a little bit of ingenuity to bring life to deserts, eroded gullies, and even piles of mine waste.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1078504/