Seich-Sou, Commercial forest in Sykies Municipal Unit, Greece.
Kedrinos Lofos is a commercial forest in the Sykies Municipal Unit featuring diverse pine species across its terrain. The site includes multiple access points, marked hiking trails, two open-air theaters, a zoo, and a natural history museum.
Until the 19th century the slopes were an oak forest, gradually cleared until the land lay bare. Reforestation began in 1929 under professors P. Kontos and Ch. Georgopoulos; over 60 years about 5 million trees were planted, mostly pines. On 6 July 1997 a fire reported at 15:35 burned 16,640 of the forest's 29,790 stremmata, roughly 56%.
The name Seych Sou comes from Turkish Şeyh Su, "water of the sheikh", after a spring inside a Muslim tomb (türbe) whose ruins still stand at Chilia Dentra. The Greek name Kedrinos Lofos honours the Byzantine historian Georgios Kedrenos, who described the dense forest; the poet Georgios Vafopoulos proposed it to the city council.
The site has multiple entry points and clearly marked trails that help visitors navigate easily. The best times to explore are the cooler months when walking is more comfortable.
The 1997 blaze was reported to the fire service at 15:35 on Sunday 6 July and burned 16,640 of the forest's 29,790 stremmata, about 56% of its area. The northern and northeastern slopes still carry stands of kermes oak, while oriental plane trees grow along the streams.
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