OGDENSBURG -- The Ogdensburg Parks & Recreation Department is looking for area chainsaw carvers to take part in a tree-carving project to help promote fishing on the St. Lawrence River.

The project will be a dead elm tree located next to the Elsa M. Luksich Municipal Pool. This project can be an interesting way to help promote the St. Lawrence River, its fisheries as well as the City of Ogdensburg, according to Parks & Recreation Director Matthew Curatolo.

The department will hold a design contest to see who will be chosen to actually perform the tree carving. All interested wood carvers will be asked to provide a design with a fishing-related theme as well as some samples of past projects.

This process was decided upon so it would be fair and open to all wood carvers, according to Curatolo.

The department will take applications until Oct. 21. Once the applications have been received, the Ogdensburg Recreation Commission will select the winning design and chainsaw carver.

Any carver interested in submitting a design will be required to provide a certificate of insurance. Due to liability concerns, the carvers would not be able to use city equipment, including lifts, bucket truck, chainsaws, etc.

The department will then work with the selected carver to come up with appropriate dates for the work to be completed.

Application forms can be picked up at the Dobisky Visitors’ Center, 100 Riverside Ave., Ogdensburg; can be downloaded on the city’s website at www.ogdensburg.org; or you can contact the Parks & Recreation Department at 315-393-1980 and the forms can be emailed to you.