For the 33rd consecutive year, the city of Cullman has been named a Tree City USA.

The rainy day meant the new flag to recognize the honor couldn’t be officially raised in front of Cullman City Hall on Friday, but Cullman Mayor Woody Jacobs, the members of the Cullman Tree Commission and representatives from the North Alabama Forestry Service gathered inside to celebrate the occasion and award the winners of the city’s annual Arbor Day Poster Contest for local fifth graders.

This year’s Arbor Day Poster Contest winners were:

Cullman Christian School: First place- Sarah Glasscock, second place- Roman Higdon.

St. Paul’s Lutheran School: First place- Kambell Blackwood, second place- Asher Thomas.

Jacobs also presented a proclamation from himself and the Cullman City Council about the importance of the city’s trees and greenery, and said he and the council are proud to see the city continue to be recognized as a Tree City.

“It really means something to us to have so many consecutive years,” he said.

To be declared a Tree City USA, a city must meet the following four requirements:

A tree board or department. Cullman’s Tree Commission is comprised of seven members and meets at 10 a.m. on the third Tuesday of every even-numbered month at City Hall. Cullman also has a part-time City Arborist, Darrell Johns. The City Arborist and the Tree Commission work together to develop an orderly process for identifying public tree needs including maintenance, removal, planting, replacement, and public education.

A tree care ordinance. The City of Cullman’s Urban Forestry Ordinance is Ordinance #1343.

An annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita.

An Arbor Day observance and proclamation. Each year in February, the mayor issues an Arbor Day proclamation. The Tree Commission, Cullman County Extension Office, and the North Alabama Forestry Service also conduct related events in Cullman including the tree sale, Arbor Day Poster Contest and flag-raising ceremony.