And now it’s time for the weekend. We’re taking you on an armchair listening tour of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Scientists, park rangers and others have recorded 265 sounds in the park that are now accessible to the public on the national parks website. It’s called the Soundscape Library and it offers interactive maps, photos and information along with recorded sound from the foothills all the way up to the alpine peaks.
Scientists use specialized equipment to record soundscapes. Sounds can be useful in determining all kinds of information -- for instance, how does wildfire affect the diversity of birds in giant sequoia forests? Or how do the numbers and types of species change in an area over seasons or years?
And if you decide this weekend to get out of the house and head up to the parks, there’s also a soundscape library at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, Grant Grove.