A compact Natura 2000 site in Cyprus protecting diverse Mediterranean forest and cliff habitats.
Periochi Kokkinokremmos
Periochi Kokkinokremmos is a small protected area in Cyprus designated as a Site of Community Importance (SCI) under the European Union's Natura 2000 network. Covering roughly 100 hectares entirely on land, the site lies in the Mediterranean ecoregion and preserves a mosaic of habitats typical of the island's interior and rocky terrain. Its protection is tied to the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) of 1992, which aims to conserve natural habitats, wild flora, and wild fauna across Europe.
Although narrow in extent, the area is ecologically rich, hosting seven natural habitat types and supporting protected populations of plants, birds, and other fauna. The site's combination of thermophilic scrub, calcareous cliff vegetation, Mediterranean pine forests, and relict tree galleries gives it a layered botanical character unusual for a site of this size. This ecological diversity, condensed into a relatively compact footprint, is what makes Periochi Kokkinokremmos a recognized component of Cyprus's Natura 2000 network.
The site is particularly relevant for bird conservation, with dozens of protected bird species recorded, including raptors, migratory passerines, and the endemic Cyprus wheatear. Beyond birdlife, the habitats support protected plant species and a broader inventory of native flora, reinforcing the site's value as a refuge for Mediterranean biodiversity that has become increasingly fragmented elsewhere on the island.
