The Akrotiri Peninsula is a unique natural area for implementing the activities of the Cyprus Centre for Environmental Research and Education.
St. Nicholas farm shows evidence of very high ecological value. The farm area of the Holy Church of Limassol includes an important area of the Lady’s mile coast reaching the shore of the Akrotiri Salt Lake. It borders with the major habitats of the area like the Salt Lake and its surrounding habitats of salt marshes, protected by the European Directive 92/43 EEC for Habitats, the pine forest in the west, etc. These ecologically important habitats found into the church property are extended into the enclosed area of the farm of Saint Nicolas and include the well-preserved coastal sand dunes habitats, protected under the European Directive 92/43 EEC, as well as the water wells dunes (Habitat 2190), which is the rarest habitat type in Cyprus. It also includes the Bishops Pool wetland, which forms the southern freshwater pond in Cyprus and is an especially important place for migratory birds that visit it every year, the Mediterranean scrub, and especially important plant-habitats of rare orchids. A large number of rare, endangered and endemic species are also included. The overall area of the Holy Church is 555 hectares and is included in the protected areas by the Ramsar Convention and is also included in the areas proposed for inclusion in the Natura 2000network.