Students at Gällöskolan in Sweden learned how to give old Christmas trees new life as homes for fish through a collaboration between Sportfiskarna and the UF company Jämtskog UF. The trees are transformed into brush bundles that create shelter and play areas for fish in Revsundssjön. Sportfiskarna runs the Skolbäcken initiative, where students across Sweden gain knowledge about fish, water environments, and fishery management through practical activities and learning in nature.
On this day, the students learned to make brush bundles that are sunk into the lake and benefit the fish in several ways. One student, Siri Wadman, said they learned how to be kinder to fish and make them thrive more in the water. Sportfiskarna has collected Christmas trees from Östersund for several years, but there has been a problem with the trees often being sprayed, which they avoid to prevent putting poison into the water.
they learned how to be kinder to fish and make them thrive more in the water
Ricky Hermans, children and youth responsible at Sportfiskarna, said it was obvious to collaborate with Jämtskog UF after seeing they thin locally in Jämtland, as it feels great to get many trees and do much fishery management. Jämtskog UF, consisting of David Wolf-Watz, Svea Schäfer, Elmer Eriksson, and Jakob Rhensbo, works to utilize thinning trees from local fields in Jämtland, which they sell as ecological Christmas trees. These trees are now becoming play areas for fish in Revsundssjön.
Svea Schäfer said it feels incredible that their trees get a closed circle and can be used again, which they find important and a big part of their company. In connection with graduation, they will wind down their UF company, which they describe with some sadness, while being happy about their work and what they have done during the year. However, the journey is not over yet – in May, they will be in Stockholm at the SM in Ung Företagsamhet, where they will compete in several categories such as ecological sustainability, Årets UF, and Årets tjänst.
it was obvious to collaborate with Jämtskog UF after seeing they thin locally in Jämtland, as it feels great to get many trees and do much fishery management
Jakob Rhensbo said it feels super fun, they have fought hard to represent Jämtland, and they are very proud.
it feels incredible that their trees get a closed circle and can be used again, which they find important and a big part of their company
it feels super fun, they have fought hard to represent Jämtland, and they are very proud