A partial list of skills that can be learned includes data collection, computer entry, behavioral observations, time budgets, bird-blind observations, mist netting and bird banding, collecting lizards or toads, live trapping desert rodents, excavation of bee or ant nests, paint marking insects or lizards, radiotelemetry, caring for native seedlings, foliage sampling, establishing study area grids, censusing techniques, microscope use, habitat or vegetation mapping, care of captive animals, plant identification, and more. Tasks may also include cleaning and carrying equipment, driving to study areas, hiking rugged trails or in desert areas, building cages and enclosures, etc. All activities are carried out under the direction and supervision of researchers or research assistants. To help volunteers locate promising projects, a handbook of research projects is compiled each spring. On arrival, volunteers can check the research projects handbook and discuss with researchers what their projects entail, whether they need help, what kind of help they need, and what their schedule is.
Most researchers are happy to share their knowledge in exchange for volunteer assistance.
Other volunteers work intensively with one project, thus getting an in-depth view of research. Researchers will usually put more time into volunteers who can commit some time to that project, as they feel both that the time investment in training will pay off for their project, and that the volunteer will get more out of the experience. In addition to field work, seminars by researchers are often held. These are both a forum to share research information and an opportunity to toss around ideas in current biological theory. Researchers are also a valuable source of advice on graduate schools, and may be willing to write letters of recommendation if they are impressed with a volunteer's assistance.