The $10 million needed to save Moon Camp – where the beloved eagles Jackie and Shadow have their nest – has been raised.
The Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV) made the announcement on Friday, July 24.
The 63 acres of undisturbed forested open space and shoreline used by Jackie and Shadow will be preserved once and for all. FOBBV launched a grassroots fundraising campaign in mid-February to stop the planned luxury housing development of 50 custom homes and marina. The community and supporters around the world answered the call with over 25,000 donations to raise nearly half of the amount needed.
Just days before the deadline to raise all the money, a generous donation of more than $5.5 million was made by Anna and Greg Brockman. This clears the path for the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust (SBMLT) to purchase the property and have funds remaining to cover closing costs, taxes, legal fees and help maintain the land.
Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust would like to thank everyone of all ages who contributed to this cause and wish to recognize Anna and Greg Brockman for their amazing generosity for Jackie, Shadow, their chicks and this special place that so many people love.
“We are beyond grateful for the tireless support of so many people these past six months. This is a special community that has a real love for Jackie and Shadow’s wellbeing along with nature,” said Jenny Voisard spokesperson for FOBBV and fundraising lead.
“We are inspired by the tremendous interest and support of all of the people worldwide, the students and teachers, and the local community. We are motivated by their dedication to conservation and their hearts to make a difference in the world,” said Patricia Klous and Roman Silberfeld, co-founders and co-board chairs of FOBBV. “We are deeply touched by Anna and Greg’s enthusiasm and incredible generosity to help our cause become a reality. Words cannot express how thankful we all are for this gift. Their kindness and devotion will be held forever in our hearts.” Klous and Silberfeld said.
“Greg and I are grateful to all those who championed saving the home of these majestic eagles, Jackie and Shadow,” said Anana Brockman. “Like many people around the world, we love watching them be amazing partners to one another and raise their young. They inspire perseverance and a sense of connectedness to something greater, to nature. We are proud to be supportive.
“We are so appreciative of the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust and everyone who came together to preserve this incredible ecosystem, the life it will help sustain and the forest that will be protected for generations to come,” she added.
FOBBV has been working to protect this land for 25 years for bald eagles and other wildlife. Conserving this parcel helps Jackie and Shadow during nesting season and it preserves an important ecological corridor, key to the entire area’s critical biodiversity. Moon Camp supports a rare and endemic plant, San Bernardino Flying Squirrels and other birds and waterfowl. Since the 1980s, experts said that development would cause “significant detrimental impact” to biological resources, including the bald eagle.
Before there was a nesting pair, the area was home to 25 to 30 visiting eagles per year. Those numbers have decreased alongside increased development, leaving Moon Camp the only undisturbed shoreline left on the lake. Prior to approving the project last September, the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors received over 5,000 emails from the public opposed to the development. Local residents have been fighting it for decades.
SBMLT plans to complete the purchase of the property by July 31, 2026, and FOBBV will announce when that has taken place. Before Sandy Steers, the executive director of Friends of Big Bear Valley and a board member of the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust, passed away on Feb. 11, 2026, she helped negotiate the agreement with the property owners. It was the most important priority Steers had.
The San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust will preserve Moon Camp in perpetuity. While some eagles are able to adapt to continued urbanization, the preservation of habitat space will have long-term benefits to all birds and wildlife for generations to come. Any donations collected over $10 million will go toward related costs and long-term care of the land.
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