In 2004, the Finnish state enterprise Metsähallitus, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry continued to assess the use of forests in the Upper Lapland region of northern Finnish Lapland. Stora Enso supports this work, which involves studies related to the land rights of the indigenous Sámi, as well as assessments of the economic and cultural impacts of various land use alternatives, and the interaction between reindeer herding and forestry.

Stora Enso hopes that real progress can be made in solving these complex issues. Stora Enso has also encouraged Metsähallitus, as a major supplier, to continue to develop participatory planning and land use practices. The Group additionally approves of the current logging restrictions imposed by Metsähallitus to facilitate discussions.

The debate about old-growth forests in Northern Finland continued in 2004 between Metsähallitus, WWF Finland and the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation. Stora Enso supports this discussion process, and has channelled financial support through WWF Finland to facilitate additional field inventories in the areas under discussion. Widely based stakeholder meetings were held, allowing various groups to present their results and recommendations. Stora Enso has participated actively in these meetings and sees them as a suitable forum to address stakeholders' concerns.

Conservation work in forests in Southern Finland gained considerable momentum in 2004. Stora Enso has stated its commitment to the METSO Forest Biodiversity Programme for Southern Finland. The Group particularly supports the idea of promoting voluntary forest conservation in southern Finland, and the way that this programme is being established and implemented with broad stakeholder participation, in order to build up wide support for conservation in southern Finland.