[1] Stora Alvaret falls within UNESCO's Agricultural Landscape of Southern Öland, 56,323 hectares (217.46 sq mi), which was designated World Heritage Site due to its extraordinary prehistory.

Finally a thin soil mantle (only two centimetres at the deepest) was formed by plant colonisation of the bare limestone and some wind driven deposition, to create the alvar formation of the present.

The best known early paleolithic settlement occurs at Alby, situated on the east coast of the island, where excavations have revealed vestiges of wooden huts around a prehistoric lagoon.

Artefacts retrieved include evidence of bear, marten, seal and porpoise, but also reveal hunting and gathering technologies through discovery of bone spears, elk antler harpoons and flint.

Some of the species found include stonecrop, dropwort, Artemisia oelandica (endemic to Öland), Shrubby Cinquefoil, Common spotted orchid and kidney vetch.

Numerous grasses are found on this alvar including Meadow Oat-grass and Sheep's Fescue; as would be expected from the occurrence of orchids, many fungi grow on Stora Alvaret such as Hygrocybe persistens and Lepiota alba.

Although the alvar here is known for its severely dry conditions, there are some seasonal wetlands and vernal pools, notably the vestigial lagoon area northwest of the village of Alby.