Within the framework of the First State Program “Great Return”, the head of the Department of Landscape Science and Landscape Planning of the Institute of Geography named after Academician H. Aliyev of the AR MSE, PhD in geography, Assoc. Prof. Mirnuh Ismayilov and leading researcher PhD, Assoc. Prof. Elina Karimova were on an expedition to the liberated territories of Karabakh and East Zangezur of the Republic of Azerbaijan on August 14–23.

The main goal of the expedition is to assess the natural resource potential of the landscapes of the Karabakh and East Zangezur regions, study modern transformation trends and ecogeochemical conditions. During the research, more than 40 soil, plant and rock samples were taken from the territories.

The conducted research is of great importance in the protection of the natural gene pool in the studied areas, in mapping ecosystems with a unique structure, as well as in the sustainable development of new infrastructure and settlement projects, and in determining the level of environmental adaptation.

Within the framework of the expedition, it is planned to prepare landscape-ecological recommendations based on the development of the basic principles of agro-landscape development, rural and urban planning, and rational use of mineral resources in various landscape areas.