"'Rain Forests' in Our Backyard" Most people are not aware that our Oak Savannas were at one time found throughout most of southern Wisconsin. Today, Oak Savanna and related natural communities are as rare as some types of Rain Forest. Mark Verhangen's talk starts with a brief history of Wisconsin's hidden nature and where it all went. Mark brings 20 years of experience in the field of Natural Areas Management and has a B.S. in Wildlife Ecology from UW - Madison. He has worked at Wehr Nature Center for 11 years and is involved in restoring and managing the many natural communities at the center, as well as boardwalk construction, trail maintenance, consultation, outreach, native plant sales and field trip coordination.