Bard College Ecology Field Station

About the Field Station

Operating as a partnership between Bard College and Hudsonia Ltd., a private not-for-profit research institute, the Field Station is uniquely positioned at the doorstep of the Tivoli Bays. The Tivoli Bays is managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYS DEC) as part of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve (HRNERR). This area is designated as a Natural Heritage Area, Wildlife Management Area, Significant Coastal Fish and Wildlife Habitat, Bird Conservation Area, and Important Bird Area.

Our location, on the Hudson River near Tivoli South Bay and the mouth of the Saw Kill Creek, affords research and teaching access to freshwater tidal marshes, swamps and shallows, perennial and intermittent streams, young and old deciduous and coniferous forests, old and mowed fields, and other habitats. Serving as a natural outdoor laboratory and center for place-based research and education, the Field Station provides discovery-focused and experiential learning opportunities that help to improve our understanding of the natural environment. The Field Station is a repository of knowledge. In addition to housing data, publications, specimen collections, and equipment, it is home to a community of scientists, students, and educators. It also serves as a resource and launching-off point for ecological and environmental fieldwork at sites near and far.

Built in 1971, the Field Station’s facilities, which include a library, herbarium, dry and wet laboratories, classroom, and offices, are used by students, faculty, staff, and environmental researchers by prior arrangement. Ongoing Field Station projects focus on natural history, biodiversity, conservation, and environmental monitoring. Users of the Field Station represent a range of disciplines (e.g., ecology, environmental science, archeology, writing, art, humanities). Student involvement is essential to the Field Station and internship opportunities are available. Volunteers can get involved through NYS DEC/HRNERR participatory science projects. Campus trails, the Bard Arboretum, and Tivoli Bays are open to all for recreational use.