University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Tier2-1: Native Plants

The Grounds Department installs native plants whenever possible. In addition, native and non-invasive plants are incorporated in landscape design guidelines for the University campus, the Carolina North project, and the North Carolina Botanical Garden.

UNC Campus – In 2005, the Task Force on Landscape Heritage and Plant Diversity developed the Guidelines for Landscape Designers Working on the UNC-Chapel Hill Campus, which states a preference for choosing native plants and plants adapted to the ecological conditions of sites under development or renovation. According to the Guidelines, plantings should be appropriate to the North Carolina piedmont, preserve the tree canopy and forested areas, include plants that provide food and shelter for wildlife, and avoid invasive plants. Recommendations for landscape design incorporating these preferences are given for each campus district (Section X. Recommendations for Landscape Designers When Working in Each District). The appendix section provides lists of plants that are Southeastern US natives or exotics with proven usefulness in Southeastern landscapes (Section XI), and invasive plants to avoid or to use only where their spread will be monitored and controlled (Section XI.F).

Carolina North – The landscape design for the planned 947-acre Carolina North campus will require the use of appropriate native and non-invasive plant species, according to the 2009 Carolina North Development Agreement, Article 5, Sections 21-5.21.1 and 5.21.2.

North Carolina Botanical Garden – The NCBG has a policy of removing and preventing accession of known invasive exotic species from its collections. In most areas of the Garden, only plant species native to the Southeast US are cultivated. In some areas where exotic species are traditionally contained, native plants are selected for new plantings whenever possible.