The landscape of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has long shaped the University’s identity, with its topography, forests, and water systems guiding early use and understanding of the land. McCorkle Place, the historic heart of campus, preserves elements of this original grove and remains a recognizable symbol of stewardship and connection to place. The McCorkle Place Tree Framework Plan builds on this legacy and is grounded in a close study of the site’s existing trees, the pressures they face now and in the years ahead, and the essential role they play in defining this beloved remnant Piedmont forest. An inventory of canopy and understory trees completed in May 2025—along with a 1919 historic tree survey, prior reports, and historic photography—documented species, age, health, and spatial composition. This information informs strategies to protect and enhance the tree canopy as a resilient “Noble Grove,” guiding long-term preservation and stewardship for generations to come.