Marissa Ortega-Welch

We visit a grove of giant sequoias that burned down in recent fires. There are efforts to restore it, but some environmentalists say that goes against the very definition of wilderness.

Sound ecologist Bernie Krause shares how he began recording natural sounds around California and the world, and his new exhibit at the Exploratorium.

This is a recording from a hot and dry oak forest at a lower elevation in Sequoia National Park.

Great Basin spadefoot toads make a deep, guttural sound near Mono Lake on the east side of California.

Mesquite Spring in Death Valley can be incredibly quiet, but in this recording it's filled with the sound of quail, sparrows, and hummingbirds.

From a small lagoon you can hear blackbirds and wrens sing from tall grasses, then walk along Drake's Beach under cliffs that line the coast of the Point Reyes peninsula.

The song of Pacific Chorus Frogs in West Marin can be heard from more than a mile away.

This sound recording from Bernie Krause with Wild Sanctuary takes you to a small trail along Sonoma Creek.

In Death Valley, Anvil Spring attracts a wide variety of wildlife. In this audio snapshot you'll hear early spring bird songs at this desert oasis, broken up by the call of a lone coyote. This recording was made by Jack Hines with Wild Sanctuary.

Cave Lake is in the Warner Mountains and the Modoc National Forest. It's within hiking distance of both Oregon and Nevada. Fed by a running stream, the tiny lake is home to many species of birds, as you can hear. This recording was made by Bernie Krause with Wild Sanctuary.