Coverboards are artificial habitats placed in nature that small animals seek out and use for shelter. Scientists place boards of various sizes in wooded areas near water and visit them on a regular schedule. They identify the variety of animals they observe to learn about the different species (such as frogs, salamanders, snakes and more) who make the forest home. Information such as air, soil, and water tempturure are also recorded to learn more about the local environment.

Each coverboard has a label clearly showing its number, with a QR code that will send the visitor to a website documenting all the data associated with that board. A sample board is shown below.