Shoreline Adaptations
How to protect coastal built environments in Nunavik?
Ecological engineering
"Ecological engineering is the study and practice of fitting environmental technology with ecosystems self design for maximum performance" [11].
Figure 5. Examples of ecological engineering shoreline protection measures. (Left) Slabs of a breakwater composed of different textures and structures. (Right) Same slabs 17 months after installation, with mussels [3].
Towards Inuit shoreline adaptation
A few principles
​Adaptative
management strategies
Figure 6. Adaptative management.
Messier, 2022
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While Inuit planned selectively for the long term in pre-contact times, today's settlements routinely require rigid, long-range plans [1].
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Inuit traditionally accept the future's uncertainties while they prepare appropriately [1].
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Appropriate knowledge of the present is more important to Inuit than prediction. By not providing rigid, fixed instructions, current information yields adaptative guidelines that can be abandoned or re-evaluated throughout the process [1].
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The ability to improvise and to act flexibly and quickly in facing multiple possibilities is synonymous with safety for Inuit communities [1].
Nature
as foundation
Figure 7. Harmonious relationship with nature. Messier, 2022
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Leave nature to its own devices. The conservation of wilderness areas corresponds to the logic of a healthy biotic community [6]. Ecological preservation emphasizes the integrity, stability, and beauty of nature [9].
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Following and mimicking nature. "Human intervention in ecological systems is most likely to be benign when it mimics the normal spatiotemporal scale of naturally occurring ecological change". To be harmonious with nature, human intervention must be localized, gentle and slow [6].
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Live in harmony and cooperate with nature. This principle stems from the concept of symbiosis, which "constitutes a form of ecological cooperation that is mutually beneficial to all entities involved" [6]. It places the individual on an equal footing with nature. Human activities must be compatible with the health of the environment and "ideally, they should enrich it" [14].
Land-water interface
Figure 8. Example of a barrier between Land and sea caused by protective infrastructure. Messier, 2022
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The land-water interface, from an Inuit perspective, is characterized by a relative absence of the barrier between land and sea. This space is described by the Inuit as enigmatic, multidimensional, porous and elastic. It is an environment that contracts and expands with the seasons, both vertically and horizontally. It sometimes merges with the terrestrial and aquatic mosaic, such as in winter because of the ice. Sometimes. it is detached from one and the other by the dynamics of the tides. This view of the northern coastal landscape suggests that the import of technical strategies for coastal development and adaptation may be incompatible, since there is a difference in the representation of space. Thus, the overlay of infrastructure on the coast should not be overlooked as a "spatial statement" within these blurred barriers, as they camouflage and distract from the natural threshold hidden below [8].
Principles in action
Resilient protection strategies for northern coast
The importance of nature
Coastal protection & enhancement
Current village development along Nunavik's shoreline influences the land-water interface. In Salluit's case (Figure 9). the houses occupying the shorelineform a perceived limit as they "specify" the space although access to the water is not eliminated. On the other hand, ripraps can be seen as a physical barrier since it reduces or even impedes the access to the marine space and the launching of boats (Figure 10).
The adaptation the proposal for Salluit relocates the riprap and the at-risk dwellings to create a 68 meters-wide beach area. This offers the possibility of enlarging the interface and push back the perceived limit (Figure 10). The shoreline could then be used for cultural activities such as fish harvesting, or for recreational purposes such as sliding or field hockey in winter. Boat and kayak launching would also be facilitated for all. Creating passages in the relocated riprap would increase its permeability and diminish the barrier effect (land-water interface). The upper portion of the bank, raised by the new protective infrastructure, would give space for sheds, important features in the community, safe from coastal hazards (Figure 11).
This exploration is based on the floodplain strategy of buffering waves with vegetation (nature as foundation). Although renaturalization may take a minimum of 10-15 years (Jeremie Loeub, ARK planner, interview March 25, 2022), it is not impossible to envision vegetation as a means of coastal control. Vegetated space mitigates coastal hazards, making oversized protective infrastructure unnecessary (ecological engineering) [3]. The riprap could then be reduced in height due to the renaturalization of the shoreline for approximately 68 meters (Figure 12).
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Typical structures such as ripraps are necessary in Salluit to prevent, among other things, water from sliding down to the houses during storms (Antoine Boisson, CEN researcher, interview of March 2, 2022). However, such infrastructure limit the ecological potential of local biodiversity. The exploration proposes to adjust of the protective wall so its materials mimic the natural habitat. Strategies such as anchoring pots to the riprap, as well as rock drilling, are solutions promoting environmental richness (water retention, marine refuges) through diversification of the protective structure (ecological engineering). It would be interesting to consider the impact such a strategy has on the habitat of blue mussels, soft-shell clams and Iceland scallops, traditionally foods consumed by Inuit [10], in order to increase food security.
Figure 9. Salluit. Vallerand, 2016
Initial organization
(perceived limit)
Renaturalizing the shoreline with flood plain
Reduced size riprap with pots (physical barrier)
Figure 10. Comparison between the initial organization of Salluit (left) and the proposed organization (right). Leboeuf-Soucy, Messier, Tessier, 2022
Before
After
Sheds or work shops
Relocated riprap
Passage ways to facilitate access to water from village center
Space for cultural activities
Figure 11. Space accessible to the community on the land-water interface for cultural and recreational purposes in Salluit's example. Leboeuf-Soucy, Messier, Tessier, 2022
Figure 12. Protecting Salluit's beach. Leboeuf-Soucy, Messier, Tessier, 2022
The 68 meters-wide area is roughly estimated by the available space resulting from the relocation of the first two rows of houses on the Salluit shoreline
Towards a whole
Reconnecting shore, village, territory
Protecting coastal space through floodplain redesign is an interesting, if localized, strategy. In order to achieve community resilience, the built environment should be considered. The combination of these two shore protection and village planning would not only increase citizen acceptance, but also enhance the lifestyle and culture of Inuit communities. Three approaches explored in the tesis-project Illuqarviviniq are presented below.
Figure 13. Salluit. Vallerand, 2016
a. Interweaving
​In order to "give back' the shoreline to residents of impacted communities, the relocation of houses and structures at high risk is required (continued from Figures 10, 11, 12). Although this is a very complex operation, the adaptation strategy proposes to relocate houses but maintain their original proximity to the water. Vegetation corridors are positioned on either side of the relocated housing to preserved and highlight their relationship to the Land. These corridors "spill over" onto the shore to make it a continuous and ecologically sound meeting place. The interweaving of the corridors with the floodplain ensures their integrity as an ecosystem (Figure 14).
Figure 14. Integration of green corridors for Salluit through a thoughtful relocation of houses. Leboeuf-Soucy, Messier, Tessier, 2022
Community space (boat launch, playground, gathering area)
Vegetation corridors
Church
Northern store
Visual security
b. Central community space
In the case of villages with collective infrastructure (e.g. Northern Store, church, boat launch, etc.) located on or near the coast, reinforcing the existing core offers interesting opportunities. A proposal for Kangirsuk (Figure 15) explores the consolidation of a community space between the store and a green corridor. To facilitate and enhance traditional activities, storage for small boats is located near the boat launch. Open clusters of houses near the shoreline promote natural surveillance. They also encourage all-season gatherings close to houses in a shared space protected from harsh winter winds. This large community space safely yet significantly "connects" connect the village to its shorline.
Figure 15. Creation of a central community space in Kangirsuk. Leboeuf-Soucy, Messier, Tessier, 2022
c. Visual connections
The organization of the built environment may also consider the impact of house locations on the shaping of views towards the Land and significant markers. Maintaining vegetated corridors in the village among housing clusters would provide visual connections to the landscape as well as easy access. The proposal for Kangirsuk (Figure 16) introduces such connections towards the land while providing flexible space for a variety of activities.
Figure 16. Creation of visual axes through thoughtful organization. Leboeuf-Soucy, Messier, Tessier, 2022
Want to learn more ?
Climate changes, Inuit & territory
"Why Lost Ice Means Lost Hope for an Inuit Village. The only road to Rigolet, Labrador, is the ice. But climate change is making that ice vanish, and the mental health impact runs deep".
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"Climate change threatens Inuit way of life. An Inuit village in northern Quebec is experiencing climate change firsthand. The animals they hunt are moving further north as the ice thins. Can innovative technologies help the Inuit culture survive?"
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"Climate Change Impacts. Impacts on Culture, Well-being, Traditional Activities, Food Security, Health and Diseases, Heritage and Special Places, Infrastructure, Transportation, Resources Development, Tourism, Arts and Crafts and Energy".
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"It’s time to listen to the Inuit on climate change. Because temperatures in the Arctic are rising faster than anywhere else in the world, we must look to the experiences of Inuit as a harbinger of what is to come — and seek their guidance on how to live sustainably".
Heather Campbell, Inuit artist originally from Rigolet.
Litterature recommendations
Inuit Knowledge and Perceptions of the Land-Water Interface
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Scott Heyes, 2007 [8]
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Explores the meanings, perceptions, traditional knowledge and stories, changes and use of the land-water interface in Inuit communities.
Inuit and Scientific Philosophies about Planning, Prediction, and Uncertainty [1]
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Petter Bates, 2007
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Explores traditional and contemporary Inuit ways of planning.
Conserving intertidal habitats: What is the potential of ecological engineering to mitigate impacts of coastal structures? [12]
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Perkins et al., 2015
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Explores ecological engineering through definitions, data, examples and strategies.
Mediagraphy
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Bates, Peter. 2007. « Inuit and Scientific Philosophies about Planning, Prediction, and Uncertainty ». Arctic Anthropology 44 (2): 87‑100.
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Bongarts Lebbe, Théophile, Hélène Rey-Valette, Éric Chaumillon, Guigone Camus, Rafael Almar, Anny Cazenave, Joachim Claudet, et al. 2021. « Designing Coastal Adaptation Strategies to Tackle Sea Level Rise ». Frontiers in Marine Science 8. https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2021.740602.
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Borsje, Bas W., Bregje K. van Wesenbeeck, Frank Dekker, Peter Paalvast, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Marieke M. van Katwijk, et Mindert B. de Vries. 2011. « How Ecological Engineering Can Serve in Coastal Protection ». Ecological Engineering 37 (2): 113‑22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2010.11.027.
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Cheong, So-Min, Brian Silliman, Poh Poh Wong, Bregje van Wesenbeeck, Choong-Ki Kim, et Greg Guannel. 2013. « Coastal Adaptation with Ecological Engineering ». Nature Climate Change 3 (9): 787‑91. https://doi.org/10.1038/nclimate1854.
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Coombes, Martin A., Emanuela Claudia La Marca, Larissa A. Naylor, et Richard C. Thompson. 2015. « Getting into the Groove: Opportunities to Enhance the Ecological Value of Hard Coastal Infrastructure Using Fine-Scale Surface Textures ». Ecological Engineering 77 (avril): 314‑23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2015.01.032.
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Dussault, Antoine. 2013. « L’écocentrisme et ses appels normatifs à la nature : sont-ils nécessairement fallacieux ? » In Les Cahiers d’Ithaque. Société Philosophique Ithaque. https://papyrus.bib.umontreal.ca/xmlui/handle/1866/13347.
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Evans, Ally J., Louise B. Firth, Stephen J. Hawkins, Elisabeth S. Morris, Harry Goudge, et Pippa J. Moore. 2016. « Drill-Cored Rock Pools: An Effective Method of Ecological Enhancement on Artificial Structures ». 67 (1): 123. https://doi.org/10.1071/MF14244.
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Heyes, Scott Alexander. 2007. « Inuit Knowledge and Perceptions of the Land-Water Interface », 856.
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Hoffman, Andrew J., et Lloyd E. Sandelands. 2005. « Getting Right with Nature: Anthropocentrism, Ecocentrism, and Theocentrism ». Organization & Environment 18 (2): 141‑62. https://doi.org/10.1177/1086026605276197.
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Lamontagne, Yves. 2004. « LE PROGRAMME DE SALUBRITÉ DES EAUX COQUILLIÈRES AU NUNAVIK : CAMPAGNE DE TERRAIN 2002 CARACTÉRISATION ET ÉVALUATION DES RISQUES ». Environnement Canada, 88.
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Odum, Howard T, et B Odum. 2003. « Concepts and Methods of Ecological Engineering ». Ecological Engineering 20 (5): 339‑61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2003.08.008.
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Perkins, Matthew J., Terence P.T. Ng, David Dudgeon, Timothy C. Bonebrake, et Kenneth M.Y. Leung. 2015. « Conserving Intertidal Habitats: What Is the Potential of Ecological Engineering to Mitigate Impacts of Coastal Structures? » Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 167 (décembre): 504‑15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.10.033.
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Polidoro, Beth A., Kent E. Carpenter, Lorna Collins, Norman C. Duke, Aaron M. Ellison, Joanna C. Ellison, Elizabeth J. Farnsworth, et al. 2010. « The Loss of Species: Mangrove Extinction Risk and Geographic Areas of Global Concern ». Édité par Dennis Marinus Hansen. PLoS ONE 5 (4): e10095. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0010095.
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Rousseau, Nicolas. 2012. « John Baird Callicott : Éthique de la terre », Actu Philosophia, , 21.