Kotychi and Strofylia Wetlands National Park, Coastal national park in West Achaea Municipality, Greece.
This national park spreads across roughly 14,300 hectares along the northwest Peloponnese coast and contains the Strofylia Forest, Kotychi Lagoon, and numerous water bodies. The landscape combines pine forests, freshwater and brackish lagoons, and sand dunes within a large protected area.
The area was recognized as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention in 1975 and received national park status in 2009. This formal protection marked a key milestone for safeguarding one of southern Europe's most vital habitats for migratory birds.
Local fishermen practice traditional catching methods in the lagoons using retractable nets, maintaining a long-standing connection between communities and natural resources.
The park offers eight marked hiking trails and four cycling paths that wind through forests, along lagoons, and across sand dunes. Visitors should bring proper gear for birdwatching, as the area is especially rich with birds during migration seasons.
The area holds the largest stone pine forest in Greece, with trees between 100 and 200 years old. These ancient woodlands form a distinctive backdrop and support specialized species that depend on such established pine stands.
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