IOWC Graduate Assistants
Jesse Sayles
Jesse recently finished his M.Sc. in Geography at Concordia University. His thesis, entitled Tapaiitum: Human Modifications of the Coast as Adaptations to Environmental Change, Wemindji, Eastern James Bay, provided a detailed understanding of past (as far back as four-hundred years) and present modifications of the coast for subsistence resource harvesting by the Wemindji Cree First Nations of James Bay. This research was part of a larger project entitled the The Wemindji-Paakumshumwaau Project: Environment, Development and Sustainability in a James Bay Cree Community. Because of this larger project his research was stationed at McGill's Computational Archeology Lab.
IJesse’s work complimented an ethnographic-based research approach with filed surveys, GIS, and air photo/satellite image measurements and interpretations. His work shows that Crees' local knowledge informs camp location decision-making and the maintenance and/or creation of hunting areas. A dynamic interplay of various bio-physical, socio-cultural, and technological factors is reflected through persistence and change in camp locations. A humanized landscape is further evidenced by the dikes, tillage areas, burnings, fish weirs, and forest-corridors that Cree construct to increase resource predictability. Jesse demonstrated that Cree adaptations to environmental change are informed by a commitment to maintaining tradition while also embracing contemporary opportunities. Cree resource management also seeks to harmonize investments in place by opposing or delaying environmental change, while remaining flexible and open to experimentation in accordance with change. The resulting relationships between Crees and their environment have immediate implications for Wemindji Cree efforts to establish a local-management based protected area. These relationships are also instructional for mainstream society as it grapples to find appropriate responses and adaptations to environmental change.
Jesse has a BSc. from the McGill School of Environment. After graduation he spent a year working in New York State as a river restoration analyst for the Hudson River Estuary Program. Also, like many "fresh bachelors" he spent time traveling in Europe and Central America before starting his master's.
Having finished his master's he is currently working with Dr. Gwyn Campbell and the Indian Ocean World Center (IOWC) doing cartography, spatial-temporal analysis, and running a weekly workshop series to teach Geographic Information Systems/Science (GIS) to graduate students at the IWOC. When it is not to cold Jesse also teaches white water kayaking. He is an avid lover of the ocean and have a fondness for sandwiches.
Jesse's publications Include:
Sayles, J.S. and D.I. Green. 2005. "Bilateral action for right whales." SCIENCE. 310 (5754): 1616-1617.
Sayles, J.S. and E. White. 2006. "Appendix F: Discussion of Dams on the Wallkill River." In; Wallkill River Watershed Conservation and Management Plan Steering Committee (eds); Wallkill River Watershed Conservation and Management Plan. Ulister County Soil and Water Conservation District. New York.
Sayles, J. S. 2005. "Knowledge flow: a Hudson River Estuary Watershed citizens' tool for ecological discussions about stream barriers and barrier removal." In; David Burns, Lisa Vasilakos, Rick Oestrike (eds); Natural Resource Management Plan for the Fishkill Creek Watershed, June 2005. Dutchess County Environmental Management Council. New York. Pp 30-36.
Jesse's Conference Papers Include:
Sayles, J.S., and M.E. Mulrennan. 2008. Wemindji Cree Adaptations to Coastal Landscape change, Eastern James Bay. At The 2008 Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers. April 15-19, 2008.
Sayles, J.S., and M.E. Mulrennan. 2007. James Bay Cree Response to Coastal Landscape Change, Eastern James Bay. At The National Ocean Management Research Network (OMRN) Conference 2007. Oct 24-27, 2007.
Sayles, J.S., and M.E. Mulrennan. 2007. Where Islands Meet the Mainland; Understanding Dynamic Human and Biophysical Historic Coastal Changes in Wemindji, Eastern James Bay, QC. At the 8th International Association of Canadian Universities for Northern Studies (ACUNS) Student Conference on Northern Studies. Oct 19-21, 2007.
Sayles, J.S., and M.E. Mulrennan. 2006. Adaptation to coastal change: recent shoreline displacement and associated human land-use and landscape modifications, Wemindji, Eastern James Bay, Quebec. At the New England – St. Lawrence Valley Division of the Association of the American Geographers Annual Meeting. Oct 13-15, 2006.
Sayles, J. S. 2005. A three tiered, nested approach to stream barrier inventory: characterizing barriers for restoration discussions in tributaries of the Hudson River Estuary. At the ASWM Integrated Restoration of Riverine Wetlands, Streams, Riparian Areas, and Floodplains in Watershed Contexts workshop. Nov 15-16, 2005.
