Trail Building		Currently 8 trails, each  1 to 2 km in length, are marked, mapped and maintained throughout the over 1000 ha of property at El Zota.  Trail markers are made of colored flagging with the distance from the trail head written on each mark.  Flags are place about every 10 meters to facilitate orientation and identification of plant and animal locations.
Species Identifications		Courses at El Zota include Herpetology, Primatology, Ecology of Tropical Ecosystems, and Nature Illustration.  Trails pass through primary or mature secondary lowland tropical rain forest.  The diversity of habitat and availability of relatively undisturbed forest allow students and researchers to observe  plants and animals in an intact ecosystem.
Laboratory Analysis		Faculty bring equipment to El Zota for basic field and laboratory analysis.  Students at the station have access to both compound and dissecting microscopes, soil analysis chemistry (texture, pH, nutrients), forestry measurement tools (transect tapes, clinometers, DBH tapes, canopy densitometers), and taxonomic keys.  Students should plan to bring a camera and film with them to document their stay and any plant or animal life they encounter.
Field Studies		Many of the courses at El Zota incorporate field projects into the curricula.  Here students have marked at 10 m X 10m forest plot for a litter survey of small reptiles and amphibians.
Relaxation		Although  the class and field work at El Zota are rigorous, students find time for catching up on their reading.  Even during the rainy season, some days will bring sunshine.  Sunny days are a time for washing and drying laundry and catching a few rays in a hammock.

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