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- Epirus for all seasons > Experiences > NATURE
The beautiful beaches of Thesprotia, with their small coves and scattering of tiny islands, is only one reason making it a destination worth visiting. There are many more aspects that will not fail to impress anyone interested in diverse natural landscapes.
The Thyamis, the ‘angry rushing river’ as its name in Greek suggests, is one of the most important wetland areas in the country. It springs from underground near Ioannina, flowing onward and down into the Ionian Sea, where the visitor can explore verdant forests peppered with sycamores, poplars and willows. The Kalamas delta, on the Ionian coast, a few kilometers from the Albanian border, is a wetland protected at national and European level and is also incorporated in the Natura 2000 Network. Lagoons, marshland formations and hills are a refuge for wildlife and an integral part of the western migration route for birds.
Another area designated as a nature protection area because of its great ecological and biological value is the Kalodiki Marshland, at the southern edge of the Prefecture of Thesprotia, on the boundary with the Prefecture of Preveza. The level of the marsh waters and the physiognomy of the vegetation varies with the changing seasons. According to the Kalamas Acheron Management Agency, Kalodiki Marsh is one of the most important and unusual wetlands in Greece, the area having unique peat and loam formations with high ecological importance and great aesthetic value.
Its importance also relates to the birdlife to which it provides refuge. The area has recorded 301 plant species, 120 species of birds (most having a permanent presence in the marsh; mainly passerines and waterfowl), 20 species of mammals, 11 reptile species and 5 species of amphibian.
Visiting the source of the mythical Acheron River is also a must. The river rises in the mountains of Souli, at an altitude of 1,600 meters, just 2 km from the village of Glyki. On its way to the mouth of the river, where it flows into the Ionian Sea in the vicinity of Ammoudia, it has created a complex ecosystem with remarkable habitats that are home to many rare or endangered species of animals and plants.