Strofylia Forest
An ecosystem of unique ecological value, spreads around the beautiful forest of Strofylia, which is one of the largest forests in the Mediterranean.
Nature was in good mood when it created Strophylia, a vast area of 20,000 acres of forest with umbrella -shaped pines, myrtle, heather and acorns, which lies a few miles west of Araxos at a zone parallel to the blue sea of Kalogria beach, and is an ideal place to enjoy sandy beach combined with the tree shade at only a few steps.
Among the dense trees of Strofylia the visitor will come across ferrets, weasels, sparrowhawks, goldfinches, crows, magpies, and other rare species which are protected by the international Ramsar convention.
The area attracts thousands of visitors from both Greece and abroad. The beach of Kalogria is the birthplace of Caretta - Caretta turtles since it is one of the few places that they choose to lay their eggs.
The forest of Strofylia separates like a strip of pines the Prokopos Lake and the Ionian Sea. Mounds of sand along the coast, made by the waves and marine currents, do not allow the freshwater streams to go to sea, thus forming the lake of Prokopos and the lagoon of Kotychi. This freshwater attracts exceptional habitats, rare species of aquatic and transient birds that arrive to spend the winter, along with many amphibians and reptiles and moreover it is advantageous for the creation of rare flora.
The area is a natural sea farm for sea bass, mullet and eels, and is protected by the Ramsar Convention (1971).
On the banks of the lake there is a bird observatory.
The cluster of Strofylia and Kotychi lake, with Prokopos lagoon, extends along 15 km and complements the lagoon of Papas, which is a long very important natural fish farm. The name Papas (pope) is not accidental. It is said that the Vatican used to be supplied with delicious bream from these lagoons.
There are many paths for the hikers, that will bring them across different types of habitats.
The area has low hills of which the most important is called Mavra Vouna (black mountains) with a height of 240 meters.