Trees have long held an important place at Northwestern. When Orrington Lunt came upon an oak grove along the Lake Michigan shore, he and his fellow co-founders knew they had found the perfect location for the founding of the University. The "old oak" later became the iconic meeting place on campus, much like the Rock today. Now Northwestern's trees provide quiet, shaded spaces for students and habitat for a variety of wildlife and birds, including red-tailed hawks, cardinals and crows.