World heritage
A World Heritage Site is something so invaluable to humanity and that it must be protected and preserved forever. Sweden has fifteen World Heritage Sites, three of which have very high natural values.
UNESCO's World Heritage Convention entered into force in 1972 with purpose to protect natural and cultural heritage. A World Heritage Site is a place, area, environment or object that tells a unique story about the history of the earth and people. It is something that has such outstanding universal value for humanity that it should be protected and transmitted to future generations and can then be inscribed on a World Heritage List under the Convention.
In Sweden, the Swedish National Heritage Board is the nationally responsible authority for the World Heritage Convention and especially responsible for cultural heritage. The Swedish Environmental Protection Agency has responsibility for World Heritage sites that are natural heritage.
There are a total of 1248 World Heritage Sites worldwide. In Sweden, there are 15. Two of them are designated for their very high natural values; Laponia in Norrbotten and the High Coast in Västernorrland by the Bothnian Sea. In addition, Southern Öland's agricultural landscape has high natural values but is still classified as cultural heritage.
World Heritage List (unesco.org)
Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (unesco.org)
Laponia
Laponia has been designated as both cultural and natural heritage because of its geological, ecological and cultural values. The cultural heritage is particularly linked to reindeer herding and traces of former users. Natural heritage includes for example landscapes shaped by glacial activity and glacial streams, the huge mire complex of Sjávnja, primeval forest, and the Rapa Valley delta area.
The World Heritage Area covers 9,400 km2 and is almost fully protected by law as national parks, nature reserves, Natura 2000 and Ramsar areas. Within the World Heritage Area there are four national parks: Muddus, Sarek, Stora Sjöfallet and Padjelanta. Reindeer herding has had and has a strong impact on the area's nature. The area is managed by an association, Laponiatjuottjudus, under the Laponia Ordinance.
The High Coast – The Kvarken Archipelago
The High Coast – The Kvarken Archipelago is a cross-border World Heritage Site between Finland and Sweden. The area is designated as a natural heritage site only, as the rapid land uplift resulting from the disappearance of the inland ice leads to very special features in the nature of the area.
The World Heritage Area covers 1425 km2, of which only about 10% has formal protection as a national park or nature reserve (Skuleskogen). The area is managed by the County Administrative Board of Västernorrland.
Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland
Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland also has very high natural values, which have been developed over a long period of time in interaction with man and nature, for example through grazing, pasture and traditional cultivation. However, according to the World Heritage Convention, environments that have arisen through combined works of nature and man are cultural heritage. Southern Öland's agricultural landscape is largely protected as a Natura 2000 area.