Opened in the spring of 2016, the 185-acre Sodalis Nature Preserve features recreational trails and hibernating habitat for an estimated 168,000 federally endangered Indiana bats—approximately one-third of all the Indiana bats in the world—in the former mines beneath the preserve. The preserve will be officially dedicated on Friday, beginning with a speaking program at the Sodalis Nature Preserve parking lot, 700 Ely Street, starting at 4:30 p.m. Among the speakers will be Michael Bean, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fish Wildlife and Parks for the Department of the Interior. A guided hike of the preserve will begin at 5:30 p.m., followed by live music by the RagTag Irish Band at the amphitheater and the nightly bat emergence viewing. Visitors are encouraged to bring flashlights and appropriate footwear.