They Raised $10 Million to Save the Forest Where Jackie and Shadow Nest

Moon Camp, 63 acres of forest and shoreline on Big Bear Lake, was headed for residential development. More than 25,000 people gave roughly half the money; a single gift of over $5.5 million closed the gap. The land will be protected in perpetuity.

By Naomi Okafor2026-07-25

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Jackie and Shadow are bald eagles with an audience. Their nest above Big Bear Lake has been watched by millions on a live camera, through failed clutches and successful ones, and the forest they hunt and perch in was for sale [1].

Sixty-three acres of it, a parcel called Moon Camp, was headed for residential development [1]. On July 24, Friends of Big Bear Valley announced that the full $10 million needed to buy it had been raised [1].

The shape of the fundraising is the good part. More than 25,000 people gave, between them supplying nearly half the total [1]. The remaining gap was closed by a single donation of more than $5.5 million from Anna and Greg Brockman [1].

The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust expects to complete the purchase by July 31, and the land will be preserved in perpetuity [1] - a word that means the eagles' forest stops being a real-estate question permanently.

Sources

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[1]
Victor Valley News - Moon Camp saved: $10 million raised to preserve Jackie and Shadow's habitat
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Naomi Okafor

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