Forests in Cyprus

Cyprus forests are very important and vital to the beauty and attractiveness of the island and they are visited by thousands of locals and tourists from all over the world.

The forests of Cyprus host a rich variety of flora and in general they cover 42% of the of the total Cyprus area and more specifically 18% are high forest and the remaining 22% is other wooden land.

Currently there are 10 national forest parks across all over Cyprus which play vital role to the protection of the national heritage and they are considered as an important national resource. The forests are very important because they contribute economically to the development of village communities and they provide timber and non-wood products.

In addition, the forests are also very important for the protection of water resources. The forests are protected by the Cyprus National forest law and the Department of Forests is responsible for the administration and for the implementation of forest development.

Cyprus national forests mainly consist of Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia) and Black pine (Pinus nigra ssp. Pallasiana) and these cover the higher hills of the Troodos range. Moreover, you can find other types of trees such as the Plane tree, Cypress, Alder and Juniper. Confided to the area of Troodos mountains one can find the endemic species of the Golden Oak (Quercus alnifolia) and in the Paphos Forest one can find the Cedar (Cedrus brevifolia).

Cyprus Forests and Camping Areas

Natural forest parks

As per the forestry law, the term National Forest park means a Main State Forest which is declared by the council of ministers and as of this day 10 National Forest Parks have been declared in Cyprus which cover a total area of 15627,22 hectares. For more information you can refer to the table below: