Southern Öland is a living agrarian landscape where villages, arable lands, coastal lands and alvar plains make up this World Heritage property. The functional relationship between the elements of the agricultural landscape of southern Öland is very distinct, extremely well-preserved and highly authentic. Protection and management requirementsThe Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland is protected according to various Swedish statutes, most importantly the National Heritage Act, the Planning and Building Act and the Environmental Code. These safeguard the archaeological sites and monuments, historic buildings, landscape and wildlife of southern Öland. The agricultural policy of the European Union and Sweden may have a decisive impact on the future of southern Öland.