Welsh farmer charged £20k for SSSI damage

A farming company in west Wales has been charged nearly £20,000 after a court convicted it of harming a protected wildlife site by repeatedly violating environmental regulations over eight years.

Jenkins Ty Hen Ltd was convicted at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 5 May for damaging a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) near Mwnt, in Ceredigion.

The company was fined £9,000 and ordered to pay £8,940.66 in costs, plus a £2,000 victim surcharge.

See also: Dorset farms pay £33,500 after slurry breaches

The court also imposed a 10-year restoration order to help the site recover.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) brought the prosecution against the company, which farms National Trust-owned land at Crug Bychan, Ty Gwyn and Llwyn Ysgaw.

The site was designated as an SSSI in 2004 because of its importance for rare plants, many of which are now scarce across Wales and the wider UK.

Ignored warnings

According to NRW, the business repeatedly applied fertiliser, slurry and herbicides without permission between 2017 and 2025, despite receiving advice, warnings and formal intervention from regulators.

NRW said some of the activity continued even after the farmer had been formally warned and invited for an interview under caution.

NRW operations manager Ann Weedy said: “Sites like this are very important for wildlife and for future generations.

“They are protected by law, and we work closely with farmers to help them manage the land in the right way.

“In this case, the rules were broken many times, even after clear advice and warnings.”

Declining rare plants

The SSSI is regarded as the only site in Wales specifically protected for arable plant species.

It supports more than 60 types of arable flowers, including several archaeophytes – plants introduced centuries ago through early farming practices which have since become naturalised in Britain and Ireland.

Experts said the unauthorised use of fertilisers and herbicides had led to a significant decline in both the number and diversity of rare plants on the site.

Supporting recovery

However, some species remain and the restoration order is intended to support their recovery.

Under the order, the land must be managed using an appropriate arable crop rotation.

Buffer margins must also be maintained around fields, with no fertiliser or herbicide use permitted in those areas to encourage the recovery of rare plants.

NRW said the case highlighted the importance of farmers following SSSI management rules when farming environmentally sensitive land.