Concord Field Station

Main Lab Building

The Concord Field Station main building contains laboratory and office space (3800 sq. ft.), animal quarters (1300 sq. ft), and a 3 bedroom apartment for visiting research faculty and fellows. Laboratory space includes a large general purpose lab space, an animal surgery suite, and a "wet lab" space devoted to in situ muscle research.

Wind Tunnel

The wind tunnel was designed for animal flight research, it facilitates steady speed experiments on bird and bat flight. Itl operates at speeds of up to 28 meters per second and has a rectangular flight chamber with a volume of 1.5 cubic meters. See the media section for videos from the wind tunnel.

Treadmill

The treadmill has an integrated force plate for measuring the vertical forces during the stance phase. Current treadmill projects include a study of the cost of locomotion in emus through ontogeny and the kinematics of wallaby hopping. Check the media section for video of a wallaby hopping on the treadmill.

Field station grounds

The field station is located on 62 acres of land for studies of community ecology, biodiversity, plant growth & physiology and animal pasture.

Driving Directions

From Logan Airport

Take Interstate 93 N for about 10 miles, then take exit 37B to merge onto I-95 S/RT-128 S towards Waltham. Go about 7 miles, then take Exit 31B towards Bedford. Continue with directions below.

From Cambridge/Harvard University

Follow Mass Ave. northbound or Fresh Pond Parkway (Route 16E) to Route 2 West. Head west towards Concord for 6.2 miles, then take Exit 52B to merge onto Route 128/I-95 North towards Peabody. Go for 3.5 miles, then take Exit 31B towards Bedford.

From Exit 31B

At the top of the exit ramp, reset your trip odometer. You will follow Route 4/225 (this is called The Great Rd) through Bedford Center for about 3 miles. You'll go through a stoplight at 0.6 miles, then another at 1.2 miles. Pass a McDonald's on the right. There's another stoplight at 1.5 miles, then another at 1.9 miles. Pass a CVS on the left. Go through two more stoplights, at 2.1 and 2.4 miles. You'll pass a sign for the Police, Town Hall and High School on the left. At 2.7 miles, stay to the right to remain on Route 4/225 and avoid Route 62 which splits off to the left. At 2.8 miles (across from the Volkswagon dealership) get in the left turn lane and make an odd little left turn onto Route 225 (in front of Gammy's General Store).

Stay on Route 225 for exactly one mile. At 3.9 miles keep your eyes peeled for the small blue street sign on the right side of the road that says "Old Causeway Rd". Turn right onto Old Causeway Rd. and follow the road through the woods to the Concord Field Station, at about 4.4 miles. If you miss the blue street sign, you'll know you went too far when you see that you are crossing a river (about half a mile too far down Rt. 225). Turn around and turn left onto Old Causeway.