Orbis Environmental Consulting

Our Cultural Resource specialists can help you manage the risk of impacting important historic or archaeological places.

Orbis COVID-19 Policy and Guidelines – Plant ID Class

With great consideration to the health and safety of our staff and class participants, Orbis will be conducting the Wetland and Adjacent Upland Plant Identification Workshop this year August 18-20 as scheduled.

We will follow guidelines provided by our local, state, and federal health officials. State recommendations can be found at https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/.

The following is an overview of our policy and the guidelines we plan to follow to reduce risk of exposure to this novel disease during the workshop. These guidelines may be revised in accordance with changing conditions and/or directives from local, state, or federal health officials as the scheduled date draws near.

  • The workshop will be held outdoors and participants will adhere to social distancing recommendations.
  • Class sizes will be smaller than in previous years; each instructor will lead a group of no more than eight students. Participants will stay in the same group for the duration of the workshop.
  • Facial coverings or masks are recommended for class participants.
  • Prior to attending the program, participants will be subject to a screening that will contain, but not be limited to the following questions:
    • Have you had any signs or symptoms of a fever in the past 14 days such as chills, sweats, felt “feverish,” or had a temperature that is elevated for you or 100°F or greater?
    • Do you have any of the following symptoms: cough, shortness of breath or chest tightness, sore throat, nasal congestion/runny nose, body aches, loss of taste and/or smell, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, fever/chills/sweats?
    • Have you been in contact within the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 or traveled to another area that is experiencing an outbreak?

If you or anyone in your home is experiencing any of these symptoms, do not attend the class. Contact us as soon as possible to let us know and we will issue a full refund of your course fees.

Orbis reserves the right to cancel the plant ID workshop at any time prior to the scheduled dates in response to directives from local, state, or federal health officials or changes in local conditions. In case of this unfortunate event, we will refund all course fees.

Our top priority is health and safety of our staff and students. With everyone’s cooperation, we’re hoping for a fun and informative workshop this year.

If you have any questions or concerns about this year’s workshop, please contact Amelia Harris at aharris@orbisec.com or Nathanael Pilla at npilla@orbisec.com.

We are excited to go botanizing this year!

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Tessa M. Aby-Kruger

Botanist

Tessa is a geologist, botanist and vegetation ecologist with over 10 years of experience managing and conducting projects, specializing in ecological and floristic inventories, rare plant surveys, and vegetation monitoring. She also performs wetland evaluations and is a guided hike leader.

Jeremy Sheets

Senior Wildlife Biologist, Vice President

Jeremy is a founding member of Orbis and directs its ecological and wildlife surveys, assessment and planning services, and brings over 20 years’ experience conducting various wildlife surveys with a focus on bat ecology and urban wildlife management.


Jeremy has managed wildlife projects for private firms and the public sector including for wind facilities, pipelines, roadways, military bases, and airports. Jeremy is proficient in wildlife management/control techniques, wildlife identification, threatened and endangered species, and surveying and analysis techniques for mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects. Jeremy is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Qualified Airport Wildlife Biologists who develop Wildlife Hazard Assessments (WHA) and Wildlife Hazard Management Plans (WHMP) for airports. Jeremy is qualified to inspect erosion, sediment and stormwater plans, and their implementation. Furthermore, Jeremy is federally permitted to conduct endangered bat surveys in USFWS Regions 3, 4, 5, and 6 and includes acoustic surveys, mist-netting, and radio telemetry.

J Ryan Duddleson​

Senior Archaeologist, Principal

Ryan is a founding member of Orbis and directs its cultural resource management services, and brings over 20 years’ experience helping clients assess and minimize the risk of impacting places with cultural value.


Ryan works with public sector clients including federal, state, and municipal government, as well as private firms in energy, transportation, industrial, and development sectors. He also coordinates with agencies and consulting parties involved with the National Environmental Policy Act, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and other related cultural resource laws and regulations. He performs archival research, analysis, and excavation. Ryan also has experience in artifact and archival curation. He has applied innovative techniques to traditional artifact analysis, such as examining organic residues from prehistoric pottery to determine prior contents. Ryan also has experience with human remains in archaeological settings. Ryan meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Archaeology and Historic Preservation, 48 FR. 44716 and is a Qualified Professional Archaeologist in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.