In June 2022, the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation bought its largest piece of land ever: a 220-hectare area in Enontekiö. This area, made up of five plots, is located west and south of Näkkälä village and contains the northernmost unbroken pine wood in Enontekiö. Once protected, this area will be known as Näkkälä primeval forest.

The area mainly consists of over 200-year-old primeval forest in its natural state, with dead standing pine and birch trees. The forest in the northern parts of the plot is rocky, and together with the old-growth forest and sandy ridge on the eastern side, this represents some of the most diverse forest nature of Upper Lapland.

The purchase of Näkkälä was funded through the Let’s save the old-growth forests of Upper Lapland fundraiser, which the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation launched in April 2022.