Sayyiduna Fadalah bin Ubayd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The land is Allah's land and the servants are Allah's servants. Whoever brings barren land to life, it becomes his."
Hadith Referenceالمعجم الكبير للطبراني / باب الفاء / 15914