The Site consists of an unexploited 50-kilometre stretch of the Ljusnan river, in which rapids and streams mix with slow meandering waters. In the lower part of the Site, the river flows through a broad valley with farmland areas surrounded by forests and hills. The middle and upper parts of the Site are dominated by dry pine forests on sandy glacial deposits. The landscape has been shaped by the river which has eroded a 40-metre-deep bedrock of glacial delta sediments. Several good examples of glacial landforms can be observed along the river, such as an esker, a long and narrow ridge formed by streams under the glacial ice. The vegetation is of great interest since it includes several alpine plants otherwise absent from this region. The Site is an important spawning ground for several fish species such as the brown trout Salmo trutta and the grayling Thymallus thymallus, which are very good bioindicators of the high water quality, and it also supports a breeding population of endangered freshwater pearl mussel Margaritifera margaritifera. There are no hydroelectric power stations, but the water regime is slightly affected by nearby dams. The Site is of high importance for water purification, storage and delivery, as well as for tourism. Several archaeological and historical features are found.