Low-relief, chert 'hammada' desert at 500-600 m intersected by broad, sandy wadi spreads draining into Qa al Azraq and only flowing after occasional winter or spring floods. Shaumari Wildlife Reserve (31°48´N 36°49´E, 2,200 ha) is strongly fenced to exclude domestic livestock and trespassers, and the vegetation is in markedly better condition than in the adjacent Azraq Desert Grazing Reserve (32,000 ha) and other surrounding, grazed areas. The Grazing Reserve was also fenced but this is now in disrepair. Wadis are dominated by sparse scrub of Tamarix, Retama, Amygdalus, Artemisia, Achillea and Atriplex, which however forms relatively luxuriant bushland within the Wildlife Reserve; there are flat gravel and silt areas in between wadis. Wadi al Butm (31°50´N 36°35´E, 1,000 ha; also called Wadi Usaymir), in the Grazing Reserve, is notable for the mature Pistacia atlantica trees which line it, and has occasional flood-pools in winter. The HQ of the Wildlife Reserve has many eucalyptus and casuarina trees. Main human activities are nomadic pastoralism, tourism (frescos at Qasr Amra) and picnicing.