The Site includes the lower reaches and mouth of the Emån River, the largest and probably the most important watercourse in south-eastern Sweden, and it contains many representative wetland types. The river is broad and calm in most places, with large seasonal variations in water levels and annual flooding of large areas. It is one of the largest continuous wetland areas in the country, with vast areas of reeds, marsh meadow, waterlogged marshland, and meadows bordering the river. These extensive wetlands and the large areas of swamp forests create a unique buffer zone along the river, which keeps it relatively unaffected by chemicals and other human influence. The fauna and flora are rich, with several species included in the Swedish Red List. The Site has an extraordinary fish diversity, with more than 30 species such as the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar, the brown trout Salmo trutta, and the wels catfish Silurus glanis. The valley has been put to human use since the Stone Age and several sites are of national interest for cultural history, including remains of an early barrage near the mouth of the river. Conditions for recreation and tourism, especially sport fishing, are very good.