Bard College Ecology Field Station

The Bard College Ecology Field Station provides the College and regional community with opportunities to learn about the natural world through science. Centered around the natural history of the Hudson Valley, the Field Station’s research and educational activities foster engagement and collaboration between professionals, students, and amateurs to address environmental problems that range from species identification to biodiversity conservation to sustainability.

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 an 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.