Bearskin

Belonging to the land

A family legacy of conservation

By Madison Acra

“In belonging to a landscape, one feels a rightness, at-homeness, a knitting of self and world.”

- Scott Russell Sanders

My grandfather, Lee Payne, purchased the slice of land we consider heaven, in 1961. “Lee Lee” as all the grandchildren called him, had the foresight to secure this property so that his children and their children would learn to appreciate everything nature has to give. Our Bearskin cabin, along with Seaview and Rose Cottage, sit upon Finney Creek in Accomack County. This land has become an oasis for both my immediate and extended family. A quiet haven away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Only an hour and a half drive from our home in Hampton Roads, by the time we get to Bearskin, it feels as if we are in a whole other world.

Through the years we have been fortunate to grow up on this land, taking advantage of all that it has to offer. This land is where I have some of my most fond memories. We canoe, hunt, fish, hike, and play made up games. We sit on the porch, enjoy each other’s company, and listen to old and new stories. On top of all these activities and adventures, the truly special times are the early morning sunrises, the winter sunsets with geese flying over the creek, and the amazing multitude of stars that can be seen on a clear night. Over the years, this land has become the established meeting place of our extended family for holidays including Easter, Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July and Memorial Day. We truly consider this Eastern Shore haven our home.

Encouraged by my grandfather, to make sure that not only my generation but hopefully future generations would enjoy this land, my parents decided to put an easement on the property in 2006. I firmly believe this was one of the best decisions they have ever made. Knowing this property will maintain its natural beauty for many generations to follow is truly extraordinary. I look forward to continuing the tradition, created by my grandfather, of belonging to a special landscape – our home on the shore.

Easement history

Ruth and Eric Acra (Madison’s parents) placed a conservation easement on Bearskin in 2006. Ruth’s sister, Meriwether, and brother, Ben, and his wife, Emarie, preserved the two other family properties Seaview (2005) and Rose Cottage (also 2006). The three properties were originally purchased in the 1960s by their father, Lee Payne, who encouraged them all to preserve the land. Together they represent 406.5 acres of conserved land along Finney Creek in Accomack County, Va. They are adjacent to Nickawampus Farm 379 acres also protected with an easement through VES Land Trust.