Excerpted from Information Series No. 76, 1993, National Trust for Historic Preservation

Volunteer involvement is an integral part of the success of most burial site preservation projects. Volunteers often initiate the formation of a support group and do the legwork and the research to develop goals and means of reaching those goals. Volunteers provide the enthusiasm, the energy, and the driving force behind most projects. Once a project is defined and underway, however, enthusiasm may wane as goals seem distant and all but unobtainable. People move away or develop other interests or problems, so there is often not a long-term association. Much responsibility falls to those faithful volunteers who see the project through from beginning to end.

Partly because of the nature of a volunteer staff, a coordinator of volunteers, preferably a paid position, is essential. The coordinator takes charge of all the varied talents and time schedules of the volunteers, sets timetables for goal accomplishment, assigns tasks, and follows up to ensure they are completed. This person keeps others informed and on track, and ensures that each participant understands the project and his or her part in it.

Once a formal plan is developed, volunteers can be instrumental in carrying it out. With only limited training, they can be the backbone of the work force for documenting and photographing many sites. The difficulty of these tasks is not to be underrated. Documentation requires patience, accuracy, and good judgment. Thousands of dollars in wasted film and processing costs can result from an amateur photographer who was unaware of the sometimes complex light requirements in burial grounds.

Following more in-depth training, volunteers can undertake elementary conservation efforts such as washing or resetting certain types of markers. Each volunteer must receive the necessary training for the particular task assigned. In no case should untrained or unskilled individuals attempt even elementary conservation work. Conservation processes are complex and often require skilled technicians familiar with historic grave marker conservation. Using unskilled or semi-skilled volunteers in such operations can cause irreparable damage to both the markers and the site.