Maintains the camera system
FOBBV's work includes fundraising, install coordination, and keeping the stream operation going across seasons.
The group behind the stream
2001Founded as Friends of Fawnskin before expanding into the wider valley.
100%Volunteer-run model in the source material.
2015First nest camera installed under Forest Service permits.
2 camsClose-up and wide-view livestream system.
Environmental awareness and protection in Big Bear Valley
The source Big Bear pages describe FOBBV as a nonprofit focused on environmental awareness and protection, funded by donations and merchandise and powered by volunteers rather than a large institutional structure.
What the organization actually does here
Publishes nest logs and updates
The group turns live watching into documented public knowledge through logs, milestone notes, and season summaries.
Works with partner agencies
The stream and nest protection sit alongside U.S. Forest Service oversight and broader wildlife-protection rules.
Supports public education
The eagle cam became a gateway for wider wildlife interest because the organization framed the stream as education, not just spectacle.
The Big Bear story is built on stewardship
Without FOBBV there is no public nest view
The camera, logs, and large public audience all depend on sustained nonprofit work behind the scenes.
The organization keeps the stream grounded
Instead of turning the nest into pure spectacle, the nonprofit frames the birds inside conservation and place-based responsibility.
It is the official source path
The Aviary pages point back to FOBBV so visitors always have a clean route to the original stream and nonprofit context.