In spring 2022, the Finnish Natural Heritage Foundation received a valuable donation of land from Hannukainen village in Kolari. The 5.5-hectare area is made up of forest and wetland, and it will be named Niittyranta.

Niittyranta conservation area straddles the river Äkäsjoki, which is famous for its sea trout. The shores are made up of old, valuable water meadows and flood meadows as well as a small spruce bog which is home to the endangered rustic bunting.

The southern shore of the river has an old pine forest which is over 100 years old, with plenty of snags, resinous stumps, dead standing pines and rotten birches. Very old and decorative dead standing trees can also be found here.

The southern shore bank of Äkäsjoki river is quite steep, and the low-lying land below it gets flooded in the spring, which has created a flood plain forest and water meadow. A few flood pools full of life have remained in the middle of the water meadow. In the summer the common goldeneye nests here, and pikes lie in wait for its ducklings. The impact of the river ecosystem and the floodwaters is very clear in Niittyranta.