BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., July 25 (High Desert News Online) — Friends of Big Bear Valley said July 24 that donations had reached $10.5 million, enough to move forward with buying Moon Camp, a more than 62-acre parcel on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in California. The money is meant to stop a planned housing-and-marina project from going ahead near the nest used by Jackie and Shadow, the bald eagles watched by many people in Big Bear Valley.
A gift of more than $5.5 million from Anna and Greg Brockman helped put the campaign over its $10 million goal, according to the nonprofit’s announcement reported by KTLA.
What is Moon Camp?
Moon Camp is a stretch of land near Fawnskin, less than a mile from Jackie and Shadow’s nest. Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust say the property matters because it sits in a wildlife corridor and provides habitat for bald eagles, San Bernardino flying squirrels, native plants, waterfowl and other species.
Before Jackie and Shadow built their nest nearby, Voisard told PopSci that the area had drawn an estimated 25 to 30 visiting bald eagles each year.
What was planned for the site?
The land has been tied to a long-running development dispute that local reporting places in the early 2000s. Friends of Big Bear Valley has said the site has been threatened for nearly 25 years.
Campaign materials and local government records described a proposed project that could have included about 50 custom homes, or more than 50 homes, along with a 55-slip marina. The conservation effort was aimed at keeping that development off the property.
Who is buying it?
The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust is the group with the purchase option, while Friends of Big Bear Valley has helped raise the money.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Steve Foulkes of RCK Properties confirmed the site could be bought for $10 million by July 31. Earlier reports from the land trust and Friends of Big Bear Valley had set that same deadline for the fundraising campaign.
Why does the plan focus on permanent protection?
The groups say they want Moon Camp protected in perpetuity, not just taken off the market for a short time. One report said the land could later be transferred to the U.S. Forest Service.
That approach is common in conservation deals: a nonprofit or land trust raises money to buy a property, then holds or transfers it so the land stays in conservation use instead of being developed.
How did the campaign get here?
The fundraising total climbed quickly in 2026. Friends of Big Bear Valley said in May that the campaign had raised more than $2.5 million. The Los Angeles Times reported in mid-June that the total had topped $3.3 million. By July 24, the nonprofit said donations had reached $10.5 million, clearing the goal.
For Big Bear Valley supporters, the result means Moon Camp can remain part of the landscape around Jackie and Shadow’s nesting area rather than becoming a housing development with a marina.
