The Paphos Forest is a state forest located in the Troodos Mountains of Cyprus with an area of 70,000 hectares. It has been a Permanent Game Preserve since 1938 .
Paphos forest is a Mediterranean type forest with both coniferous trees like Brutia pine ( Pinus brutia ) and Cyprus cedar ( Cedrus brevifolia ) and broadleaf trees like golden oak ( Quercus alnifolia ) and Platanus orientalis .
Paphos forest is home to the Cyprus mouflon, red fox and Cyprus mouse. Also present in the forest are eight species of snakes and a large variety of lizard and frog species. [1]
Cedrus libani, the cedar of Lebanon or Lebanese cedar, is a species of tree in the genus Cedrus, a part of the pine family, native to the mountains of the Eastern Mediterranean basin. It is a large evergreen conifer that has great religious and historical significance in the cultures of the Middle East, and is referenced many times in the literature of ancient civilisations. It is the national emblem of Lebanon and is widely used as an ornamental tree in parks and gardens.
Troodos is the largest mountain range in Cyprus, located in roughly the center of the island. Its highest peak is Mount Olympus, also known as Chionistra, at 1,952 metres (6,404 ft), which hosts the Sun Valley and North Face ski areas with their five ski lifts.
Paphos is a coastal city in southwest Cyprus and the capital of Paphos District. In classical antiquity, two locations were called Paphos: Old Paphos, today known as Kouklia, and New Paphos. It is the fourth-largest city in the country, after Nicosia, Limassol and Larnaca, with an urban population of 63,600 in 2018.
Pinus brutia, commonly known as the Turkish pine and Calabrian pine, is a species of pine native to the eastern Mediterranean region. The bulk of its range is in Turkey, but certain varieties are naturalized as far east as Afghanistan. It is also known as East Mediterranean pine, Afghan pine, and Brutia pine. The name "Calabrian pine" comes from an introduced grove in the Calabria region of southern Italy; historically this region was called Bruttium, which is likely where the specific epithet "brutia" comes from. Pinus brutia bears many similarities with other, closely related species such as Pinus halepensis and Pinus canariensis. Turkish pine forms a species complex with the former.
Pinus halepensis, commonly known as the Aleppo pine, also known as the Jerusalem pine, is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. It was officially named by the botanist Philip Miller in his 1768 book The Gardener's Dictionary; he probably never went to Aleppo but mentions seeing large specimens at Goodwood in the garden of the Duke of Richmond, which were transplanted in 1739.
Paphos District is one of the six districts of Cyprus and it is situated in the western part of Cyprus. Its main town and capital is Paphos. The entire district is controlled by the internationally recognised government of Cyprus. There are four municipalities in Paphos District: Paphos, Yeroskipou, Peyia, and Polis Chrysochous.
Episkopi Bay is a bay west of the Akrotiri Peninsula on the south-western shore of Cyprus, between Paphos and Akrotiri. On the other side of the Akrotiri Peninsula is Akrotiri Bay. It is famous for its beaches and fish restaurants. Despite the Turkish invasion and ensuing ethnic division of Cyprus in 1974, a number of Turkish Cypriots chose to remain in the area.
Kouklia is a village in the Paphos District, about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) east from the city of Paphos on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus. The village is built in the area of "Palaepaphos", mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, Greek goddess of love and beauty, which became the centre for her worship in the ancient world. Because of its ancient religious significance and architecture, Kouklia was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List along with Kato Paphos in 1980.
Miliou is a village on the island of Cyprus, situated on the Laona plateau near the road from Paphos to Polis. Miliou is one of the smallest villages in Cyprus and has a population of about 60. It is also one of the greenest villages in the area, thanks to an abundant supply of spring water, surrounded by citrus groves, almond trees and vineyards.
Akamas, is a promontory and cape at the northwest extremity of Cyprus with an area of 230 square kilometres. Ptolemy described it as a thickly wooded headland, divided into two by summits [a mountain range] rising towards the north. The peninsula is named after Akamas, a son of Theseus, hero of the Trojan War and founder of the city-kingdom of Soli.
The Lone Pine was a solitary tree on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, which marked the site of the Battle of Lone Pine in August 1915. It was a Turkish or East Mediterranean pine.
Pano Panayia ; also known as Panayia, is a mountainous village in Cyprus, located at an altitude of 900 metres in the Paphos mountain range, on the outskirts of Paphos forest and 35 minutes from Paphos International Airport. The name Panayia is from the name of the region, Agia, and <<Pano>> that means <<up>> in Greek..
Quercus alnifolia, commonly known as the golden oak, is an evergreen oak species of Cyprus. Its common English name refers to the golden coloured lower surface of its leaves. Quercus alnifolia belongs to the endemic flora of the island and it is confined to the igneous geological complex of the Troodos Mountains. In February 2006, the parliament of Cyprus selected the golden oak to be the country's national tree.
Drinia, or sometimes Thrinia, is a village in the Paphos District of Cyprus, located 3 km north of Agios Dimitrianos. Built at an altitude of 550 meters among vineyards, grain crops, few legumes and almond trees, in a region transversed by many streams, the small settlement with approximately 50 inhabitants belongs to the geographical region of the Limassol-Paphos ampelochoria. With its traditional stone houses of folk architecture, vineyards, and wild vegetation, Drinia receives visitors seeking tranquility and relaxation away from the bustling urban centers of Cyprus. One of the last “strongholds” of the preservation of the textile art, Drinia maintains, albeit on a limited scale, the weaving of the well-known phytiotic textiles that took their name from the neighboring village Phyti. The village dates back to medieval times and is referenced by the name “Thrinia”, although some people associate its name with the name of nearby Drymou, believing that it comes from the word “Drymia”.
Pistacia atlantica is a species of pistachio tree known by the English common name Kurdish bīnka/banê, Mt. Atlas mastic tree, Atlas pistachio, Atlantic pistacio, Atlantic terebinth andCyprus turpentine tree.
Stavros tis Psokas is a river of Paphos District in western Cyprus. It is a tributary of the Chrysochou River and flows through Paphos Forest. It is dammed by the Evretou Dam which provides irrigation water to an area of roughly 2000 hectares. A forest station is located along the river.
The Chrysochou is a river of Paphos District in western Cyprus. It flows through the Paphos Forest and village of Goudi. One of its tributaries is the Stavros tis Psokas. The main aquifers of the basin are The Terra and Koronia Limestones, The Gypsum, The Coastal Plain, and The Alluvial.
Constandis was a fishing vessel sunk for use as a recreational dive site in Limassol Bay, Cyprus.
Seih Sou or Seikh Su, also known as Kedrinos Lofos, is a hilltop forest just to the north and northeast of the city of Thessaloniki, Greece, that rises to the west of Mount Chortiatis. The forest covers 2,979 hectares and reaches an elevation of 563 meters.