BIG BEAR LAKE, Calif., July 25 (High Desert News Online) — Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust say they have raised enough money to buy Moon Camp, a more than 62-acre property on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in California, and keep it out of a planned luxury housing and marina project.
As of July 24, the groups said they had collected $10.5 million, including a gift of more than $5.5 million from Anna and Greg Brockman, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. The fundraising goal had been $10 million, with a July 31 deadline tied to an option to buy the land.
Here is what the deal is, why it matters, and what could happen next.
What is Moon Camp?
Moon Camp is a tract of land near the community of Fawnskin, on the north shore of Big Bear Lake in San Bernardino County. Campaign materials from Friends of Big Bear Valley describe it as important habitat and an ecological corridor for bald eagles and other wildlife, including San Bernardino flying squirrels, rare native plants and waterfowl.
The site is also less than a mile from the nest of Jackie and Shadow, the bald eagles that have drawn intense public interest in Big Bear Valley.
Why are conservation groups trying to buy it?
The land has been tied to a development proposal for years. Reporting based on campaign and project records describes plans for about 50 custom homes, or more than 50 homes, plus a 55-slip marina.
Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust say buying the property would preserve it in perpetuity, or under permanent conservatorship. One report said the land could later be transferred to the U.S. Forest Service.
The groups have framed the effort as a way to protect open space near a bald eagle nesting area and a broader wildlife corridor.
How long has the dispute been going on?
The fight over Moon Camp has been described as a long-running one. Friends of Big Bear Valley has said the land has been under threat for nearly 25 years, and local reporting traces the dispute back to 2001 or 2002.
That history is part of why the campaign became a race against the clock. In February, Friends of Big Bear Valley used social media to ask for donations. By early May, the nonprofit said it had raised more than $2.5 million. By mid-June, the total was more than $3.3 million. On July 24, the group said the full $10 million target had been reached.
How did the fundraising work?
The land trust said it had an option to buy Moon Camp for $10 million by July 31. Steve Foulkes, identified in reporting as a vice president for RCK, said the option agreement was in place.
Campaign leaders asked donors to cover the purchase price before the deadline. On July 24, Friends of Big Bear Valley said the fundraising goal had been met and that the money would allow the purchase to move forward.
Why do the eagles matter?
Jackie and Shadow have become a symbol of Big Bear Valley’s wildlife. Friends of Big Bear Valley has said the area around Moon Camp is important not just for the resident pair, but for the larger eagle population that uses the lake and surrounding habitat.
In a quote relayed by PopSci, Voisard said there used to be 20 to 35 visiting bald eagles at Big Bear Lake in winter, and that the number is now six to 10 at best.
That is why conservation supporters say this is more than a real estate deal. To them, it is a land purchase that could protect one of the best-known eagle habitats in the San Bernardino Mountains.
What happens next?
The public information so far shows a funding milestone, not a full closing record. Friends of Big Bear Valley said the money was enough to let the purchase proceed, but the supplied reports do not include the final deed, escrow, or recording details.
For now, the key question is whether the groups can complete the transaction and secure the land before development moves ahead.
