Birkley Heynen poured his heart into caring for people and the planet. A student of UGA’s Odum School of Ecology and Office of Sustainability, Birkley was just months from graduating when his life was cut short in March 2024. In his 20 years, he built strong communities and believed deeply in the interconnectedness of all living things — from turtles to salt marshes, from oysters to coastal traditions.

Birkley knew that the future of Georgia’s coast isn’t just about turtles and oysters. It’s also about the people who call it home. The coast hums with life in more ways than one: Gullah-Geechee and Native American farming traditions, stories passed down through generations and the shared meals of seafood boils and oyster roasts. Protecting the coast means protecting its culture, history and livelihoods.

The Birkley Heynen Coastal Resilience Scholarship was created to provide experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate Ecology students working on Georgia’s coast. This is where students study turtle migration, restore oyster reefs and understand how cultural heritage and environmental health are deeply intertwined.

To secure a scholarship in Birkley’s memory every year, we’re raising $10,000 before December 31, 2025. Thanks to the generosity of the Birkley Heynen Environmental Foundation, every dollar you give will be matched — doubling our total impact to $20,000!

Your gift isn’t just an investment in students — it’s an investment in the ecosystems, cultures and communities they will protect for decades to come. Be part of Birkley’s Big Wave. Give today, and let’s shell-ebrate a future as resilient as the coast he loved.

Give a gift of $150 or more today and receive a limited-edition Birkley Heynen Environmental Foundation tote! All donors receive a BHEF decal.