A campaign initially aimed towards catalogue companies in North America was expanded in late 2003 to integrate other issues associated with Canada’s boreal forests. Several environmental organisations contacted companies to demand that they stop logging operations in boreal forests.

The natural forests of the world are divided into three broad categories – tropical, temperate and boreal forests. Boreal forests form a vast belt of primarily coniferous forest around the sub-arctic latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere. Such forests cover much of Russia, Canada, Northern Europe and Asia, and make up the world’s largest land-based biome, stretching across 11% of the earth’s surface, or a total area of 16.6 million square kilometres.

Previous campaigns aimed towards paper producers have concentrated on old and endangered parts of the boreal forest zone. The current campaign stresses the importance of conserving the whole Canadian boreal forest, which still contains large stretches of natural forest and wetlands.

Stora Enso currently buys pulp made from trees harvested in the Canadian boreal forests, and uses it for producing paper. Stora Enso nevertheless recognises the environmental, social and economic values of the boreal forest to Canada and the whole world. The Group supports the responsible and sustainable management of these forests, with particular consideration given to the conservation of their rich biodiversity. Stora Enso’s policy is to maintain the biological and cultural values of all forests from which it procures fibre. This is done through sustainable forest management practices, commitments to third–party-verified forest certification systems, and measures to support conservation in wood and pulp purchasing activities. Stora Enso also maintains a pro-active dialogue with environmental organisations and other stakeholders.