The Site is an important area for conserving palsa mires and the pristine Lätäseno and Hietajoki Rivers at the upper catchment of the Tornionjoki River basin, which is shared between Finland and Sweden. It is the northernmost site for several mire and aquatic plants and it provides a very valuable spawning ground and nursery for a number of migratory fish species, some of which support the fishing stocks of the Baltic Sea. The Baltic salmon (Salmo salar), brown trout (Salmo trutta) and vulnerable lavaret (Coregonus lavaretus) still spawn here. Among the mammals found are wolverine (Gulo gulo) and arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus, while the Site hosts the most abundant and diverse range of breeding waterfowl and waders in the Lapland Region. The northern limit for pine trees crosses the area and mountain birch is the only common tree. The area is an important education site for the Kilpisjärvi Biological Station of Helsinki University. There is also a snowmobile trail, a cross-country track crossing the area and a canoe route on the Lätäseno River. The Site is also used for reindeer husbandry and recreational fishing. Acid deposition, caused by long-distance fallout some years ago, has weakened the buffering capacity of lakes and ponds. A management plan has been implemented.