Kotychi Lagoon

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Kotychi Lagoon

The Kotychi lagoon is located in the Prefecture of Ilia, NE of the Lechena town while the coastal forest, the Strofylia wetland, is further north, in the Prefecture of Achaia. It is essentially a network of lagoons, lakes, swamps and forests along the northwest coast of the Peloponnese.

The Kotychi lagoon has shallow waters (30-40 cm) and fresh water. It is surrounded by reeds on the land front, while on the sea front it is surrounded by an elongated sandy islet, in the center of which the pipeline that connected the lagoon to the sea. It covers an area of ​​about 8.000 acres and is the largest in the Peloponnese. It is characterized by great biodiversity; its fauna is of prime ecological interest, as the lagoon is at the southwestern end of the western migratory corridor of many migratory birds.

Near the lagoon lies the pine forest of Strofylia, which covers a coastal strip of 15 km long and 0.5-3.5 km wide. Due to its particular importance for the habitat and breeding of many aquatic birds, the wider area is protected by the Ramsar Convention (Convention for the Protection of International Wetlands of Interest, in particular as wetlands) and is included in the list of European Specialty Protection Areas.