About
High in a Jeffrey Pine, 145 feet above the San Bernardino National Forest floor, a pair of bald eagles named Jackie and Shadow have become global celebrities. Their lives, broadcast 24/7 by a solar-powered camera, are an unscripted drama of nest building, egg incubation, and the struggle to raise their young. Millions watch. What most of the 681,000 YouTube subscribers and 1.1 million Facebook followers don't see is the organization behind the camera: Friends of Big Bear Valley (FOBBV), a small environmental nonprofit that has turned the public's love for two birds into a financial and legal operation used to challenge developers, sue the county, and take on the United States Forest Service.
FOBBV CAM: From First Nesting Eagle to Global Wildlife Stream
The story begins with a biological event. For most of recorded history, bald eagles were merely winter visitors to Big Bear Valley. Between 2009 and 2012, a pair named Ricky and Lucy established the first year-round nest. In 2012, they hatched the first chick ever recorded in the valley: a female later named Jackie.
The organization capitalizing on this story had deeper roots. Originally "Friends of Fawnskin," Friends of Big Bear Valley secured 501(c)(3) status from the IRS in February 2005. Under Executive Director Sandy Steers, the organization transformed from a local environmental group into a digital media operation. In 2015, its first low-resolution camera was installed on the nest. By 2018, significant investment in solar-powered, high-definition streaming technology transformed the project into a world-class live broadcast. The stream expanded from a single nest to a network covering a second eagle nest and at least two osprey sites, all integrated into a robust multi-platform distribution system.
FOBBV CAM Content: Narrated Wildlife Drama and Community Engagement
The content goes beyond raw wildlife footage. The organization produces curated highlight videos, narrated and branded compilations, and targeted clips designed to maximize audience engagement and emotional investment. The naming of each eaglet — Stormy, Simba, Spirit — transforms anonymous wildlife into characters with storylines the audience follows season to season.
The live stream is supplemented by daily commentary and updates from the team. Major events — a blizzard threatening the eggs, Shadow delivering a fish, a rival eagle approaching the territory — are treated with the narrative gravity of a reality show. This turns passive wildlife observation into active community participation, with viewers monitoring the chat 24/7 and calling out threats to the nest in real time.
How FOBBV Makes Money: Donations, Sponsorships, and Merchandise
Friends of Big Bear Valley operates a multi-channel revenue model. The organization, registered under IRS EIN 46-2865540, reported total revenue of approximately $284,000 on its most recently available Form 990-EZ. Sandy Steers's annual compensation is listed as $42,000.
Revenue streams include direct viewer donations (embedded links appear across all platforms), corporate sponsorships, and a thriving merchandise operation. Their official store sells apparel, mugs, stickers, and seasonal items branded with eagle imagery and eaglet names. Events like "Eagle Fest" provide additional fundraising and community engagement.
However, the organization carries a notable administrative risk. California Department of Justice records list FOBBV's status as "May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes," with charity registration (CA AG Reg. Number 130814) noted as "Delinquent." While its Franchise Tax Board status is "not revoked," this discrepancy represents a vulnerability that could jeopardize its fundraising model if enforced.
FOBBV CAM: Key Personnel and Conservation Partnerships
The organization is governed by a board including President Roman Silberfeld, Secretary Jim Mcgrew, and Treasurer Shelley Egan. Media and Website Manager Jenny Voisard manages the digital presence. A corps of approximately 10 international volunteers provides 24/7 monitoring of the live chat and social media.
For legal challenges, FOBBV partners with environmental heavyweights: the Center for Biological Diversity, the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, the John Muir Project of Earth Island Institute, and the law office of Babak Naficy. FOBBV serves as the local anchor and public face, providing narrative and grassroots fundraising while partners supply specialized legal expertise.
FOBBV CAM: Legal Victories, Forest Service Lawsuit, and the Fireworks Controversy
The organization uses its massive support base for high-stakes advocacy, with a mixed record.
Its most decisive victory came in Friends of Big Bear Valley v. County of San Bernardino. Filed in August 2020 under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the lawsuit challenged "Moon Camp," a 50-lot luxury housing project. FOBBV argued the Environmental Impact Report failed to mitigate impacts on the federally threatened ash-grey paintbrush, bald eagle habitat, and wildfire evacuation risks. In early 2022, a court agreed, ruling the EIR deficient. The decision overturned the county's approval and halted development.
Less successful was Friends of Big Bear Valley v. United States Forest Service. Filed in August 2023 under NEPA, this suit tried to stop a 13,000-acre forest thinning project, arguing the Forest Service failed to prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement. In March 2025, a district court granted summary judgment to the Forest Service. FOBBV filed a notice of appeal to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in May 2025.
The campaign against the annual July 4th fireworks show over Big Bear Lake has sparked intense public debate. FOBBV uses its camera to document the eagles' distress, noting they have abandoned their roost for days after past displays. A petition garnered over 30,000 signatures. But the intense community response has a dark side: the organization's leadership has had to publicly condemn harassment, cyber-bullying, and doxing of event organizers and public officials by their own followers.
FOBBV CAM: Conservation Impact and Education
At its core, FOBBV provides a free, ad-free educational resource to a global audience. Direct outreach reaches over 75 classrooms in a single season. The most significant impact is the concrete conservation victory: by successfully litigating against the Moon Camp development, FOBBV protected a rare pebble plain habitat and the home of the threatened ash-grey paintbrush.
FOBBV CAM Today
Friends of Big Bear Valley has built a model for digital-age environmentalism: converting public affection for a pair of eagles into financial resources and legal action. The heartwarming story of Jackie and Shadow fuels a high-stakes advocacy operation. The organization's future rests on the continued drama in the nest, the outcome of a federal court appeal, and its ability to resolve the administrative discrepancy in its state charity registration — a private, bureaucratic challenge as critical to its survival as any public fight.