A 121-acre nature preserve is set to open to the public in Fayetteville next month.

Northwest Arkansas Land Trust officials recently announced that after seven years of habitat restoration, removing of undergrowth and invasive non-native plants, the Wilson Springs Preserve will officially open on Saturday, Sept. 7 in Fayetteville.

To celebrate the opening of the project, a month-long series of events called Immerse: Wilson Springs is planned at the preserve.

The events kick off on Sept. 7 with art installations, workshops, education stations, nature hikes, and more planned on the grounds.

Several local artists will be contributing work for the celebration. Stuart Fullbright, along with artists Chaim Goodman-Strauss and Jacey Dunaway, will be constructing a sculpture of woven river cane and native vines that will serve as a bird blind and nature viewing area on the preserve. Architect and educator Emily Baker is leading the design and fabrication of a steel sculpture that illustrates the amount of water per second that is filtered by the wetland, and Craig Colorusso’s solar powered sound installation Sun Boxes will combine landscape and soundscape for a one of a kind immersive experience.

There will be live music performances by percussion ensemble Thought Form Collective, folk/rock trio Sycamore, University of Arkansas World Music Ensemble, and others. Poetry readings, yoga events, and more are also in the works.

Several hikes and nature walks led by experts in fields such as herpetology and botany are scheduled as well to educate attendees on the unique flora and habits located on the preserve.

A full list of events planned during Immerse are available here.

All of the events are free to attend, though some may require registration.

The preserve is a wetland prairie located at the headwaters of Clabber Creek in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The public entrance to the preserve is located at the south side of the Sam’s Club parking lot at 3081 HWY 112 in Fayetteville.

For more information, or to register, visit nwalandtrust.org/immerse.

Wilson Springs Preserve Map