In a general sense, the Machairas Forest is the forested area at the eastern end of the Troodos mountain range or massif in south-central Cyprus and, more specifically, it is a state forest and national park covering around in the northern foot-hills of Kionia Peak, the highest point in the eastern Troodos."The Machairas National Forest Park", information brochure published by the Press and Information Office, Nicosia, 2006; available from the Forestry Department website: www.moa.gov.cy/moa/fd/fd.nsf/All/CDA39B728D54EEAAC225810800356E03?OpenDocument"Μαχαιράς δάσος" (Machairas Forest); article in "Polygnosi" the Cypriot encyclopedia run by Politis newspaper and the Bank of Cyprus - www.polignosi.com - retrieved Aug 2025 (in Greek)
Machairas forest is a Mediterranean type forest consisting primarily of Calabrian pine (Pinus brutia), which is similar to the Aleppo pine, and Golden Oak (Quercus alnifolia), the national tree of Cyprus. In some areas these are mixed together and in others they occur separately."Natura 2000 - Standard Data Form Dasos Machaira"; publ. by Cyprus Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Environment, Engomi, Cyprus, date: 2019, website: www.moa.gov.cy/moa/environment/environmentnew.nsf/all/825E6DC5EFF93104C225848D003781B5/$file/CY2000004.pdf?openelement - retrieved Aug 2025; pp. 6-7
Machairas Forest is the eastern part of the Troodos massif (an ophiolite complex). The highest point is Kionia peak at , but to the east the forest is only high. As well as the State Forest, there is private land around Machairas Monastery. This monastery has a commanding position at the head of a wooded valley on one of the highest available slopes of Kionia Peak. The forest is named after this monastery, which itself has a name derived from the Greek word for sword or knife."A Description of the Historic Monuments of Cyprus" by George Jeffery, Architect. Publ. Government Printing Office, Nicosia, 1918; p.214 Rainfall ranges from to per annum. The relief is mountainous with narrow deep valleys and high mountain peaks. The mean daily maximum temperature in August (the hottest month) is . Numerous streams flow from the mountains of the forest, which feed other larger streams and rivers, such as the Pediaios, the Gialias, the Maroni and the Alikos, a tributary of the Gialias.
Under the Woods and Forests Delimitation Ordnance, 1881, the Forest Delimitation Commission delimited the Machairas Forest in 1884 and in 1885 the forest within these bounds came under the protection and management of the government of Cyprus.Cyprus Gazette, 02 Aug 1884, publ. Government Printing Office Nicosia, 1884Cyprus Gazette, 07 Feb 1885, publ. Government Printing Office Nicosia, 1885 By 1921 the total area of State Forest Lands was of which was Machairas Forest. There were at that time five main forests the largest being Paphos Forest.Cyprus Blue Book 1921,publ. Government Printing Office Nicosia, 1922; page 284
Machairas was declared a "National Forest Park" in 2004 consisting of the Machairas forest () and the Lythrodontas forest () by decree 61.368 of 22 Dec 2004. Decree No. 62.114 of 01 Jun 2005 added the adjacent "Vounia tou Anemou" ().
Administratively, the largest part of the forest is located in the village area of Lazanias, while a smaller part extends into the administrative areas of the villages of Kapedes, Gourri and Politiko.
References