Värriö Subarctic Research Station is located in the Värriö Strict Nature Reserve, Eastern Lapland, in the northern corner of the municipality of Salla. The station represents top scientific research of the University of Helsinki, the highest standards of education and co-operation with civil society in Northeastern Finland. The station has been in operation from 1967, first in mostly ecological studies, but later on also other research fields are represented (atmospheric sciences, palaeoecology etc.). The SMEAR I station (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations) was established to the Värriö Subartic Research Station in 1991 to measure pollution levels in the area, especially those originating from the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The initial measurements focused on sulphur dioxide but during the 90s the scope of measurements were significantly widened to cover e.g. atmospheric aerosols and ozone. Today, among other things, the SMEAR station measures weather, atmospheric aerosols and inorganic gases, carbon and energy fluxes and the relationships between the atmosphere and growth of forests. The site is a supporting ICOS ecosystem station.

The station is a part of the Institute for Atmospheric and Earth System Research (INAR) at the University of Helsinki. An alike measurement station (SMEAR II) is located at the Hyytiälä Forestry Field Station in Juupajoki, Southern Finland.