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Fundraiser to buy land near Big Bear’s famous bald eagle nest surpasses goal
Big Bear's famous bald eagle couple, Jackie and Shadow, snuggled up side by side on their "Lookout Snag" on Saturday.
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Friends of Big Bear Valley
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YouTube
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Topline:
Nearly 63 acres of land near Big Bear’s famous bald eagle nest will be permanently preserved after environmental organizations successfully raised $10 million to prevent a planned housing project.
Why now: Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that runs the popular YouTube livestream of Jackie and Shadow’s nest, announced Friday that they’ve reached their goal. The “Save Moon Camp” fundraising page shows that it’s raised more than $10.5 million by the time of publication.
The details: The fundraiser was able to get across the finish line with a more than $5.5 million donation from Anna and Greg Brockman, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. Greg Brockman is the co-founder and president of OpenAI. He didn’t immediately respond to LAist’s request for comment. Jenny Voisard, a spokesperson for the nonprofit, said smaller donations made up the rest.
Why it matters: Voisard said they are “beyond grateful” for the tireless support of so many people over the past six months. She told LAist that they “just hope Jackie comes home soon.”
“Greg and I are grateful to all those who championed saving the home of these majestic eagles, Jackie and Shadow,” Anna Brockman said in a statement. “They inspire perseverance and a sense of connectedness to something greater, to nature. We are proud to be supportive.”
The backstory: In February, Friends of Big Bear Valley and the San Bernardino Mountains Land Trust launched the fundraiser to prevent construction that they argued would harm rare plants and wildlife in the area. It was the most ambitious fundraising effort in the nonprofit’s history.
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What's next: The trust plans to have the land purchased by next Friday. The organization will preserve the acres in perpetuity, according to Friends of Big Bear Valley. Any donations over the goal will be put toward long-term care of the land.
Go deeper: Environmental groups launch $10M fundraiser to buy land near Big Bear’s famous bald eagle nest
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