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A farming family from Ceredigion has been ordered to pay a total of £19,000 after causing damage to rare plants on land owned by the National Trust. The penalty consists of a £9,000 fine, along with nearly £11,000 in court costs and additional charges. The damage occurred over an eight-year period on a protected wildlife site in the Mwnt area.
Lloyd Jenkins and his parents, Margaret and David, admitted to harming the designated site by improperly applying fertiliser, slurry, and weed killer too close to the edges of their fields. This practice prevented the growth of rare flowers that flourish in those marginal zones. Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which brought the prosecution, described the damage as a “serious decline in the number and variety of rare plants.”
The affected land lies alongside the Wales Coast Path and was officially designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2004. NRW explained that these fields serve as a natural habitat for rare arable flowers, some of which were introduced to Britain thousands of years ago along with crop seeds. Despite repeated warnings issued between 2017 and 2025, the family continued to spread chemicals in the restricted areas without permission, violating the regulations protecting the site’s margins. An NRW spokesperson pointed out that the harmful activity persisted “despite advice, warnings and meetings,” including after the farmer had been formally warned and invited for an interview under caution.
The farming operation, known as Jenkins Ty Hen Limited based in Cardigan, received the fine from Haverfordwest Magistrates Court and must also pay nearly £9,000 in legal costs, plus a £2,000 victim surcharge. In addition to these financial penalties, the family is bound by a 10-year restoration order to rehabilitate the land to its prior condition.
Representing the family, barrister Harry Dickens emphasized that the Jenkins family did not deliberately intend to damage the protected flora and fauna but characterized their conduct as “more akin to wilful blindness than going out intending to damage the land.” He stated, “They are not vandals, they have not been silent and neither have they stonewalled NRW. I said they accepted the need to restore the land and the restoration order and were keen to work productively with the authorities.”
David Jenkins, who has rented the land from the National Trust for more than 15 years, explained the practical difficulties of respecting the required buffer zones. “When you’re spreading manure you can’t stop it spreading at the six metre mark – with slurry it’s easier,” he said. Jenkins also expressed frustration over conflicting demands: “I have told [NRW] that I would rather leave the fields alone but they tell me I have to farm the fields.” He further remarked on the financial strain of farming the plot, saying, “I lose money farming this small piece of land, I don’t get anything back.” The ongoing situation has caused Jenkins considerable distress, leading him to seek support from a mental health charity.
NRW clarified that similar margin restrictions exist elsewhere within the SSSI and are being upheld without problems. The agency also noted it had no record of Ty Hen Ltd formally requesting permission to leave parts of the fields uncultivated. While expressing sympathy for Jenkins’ difficulties, NRW stressed that enforcement is sometimes necessary, stating: “Enforcement processes can be challenging, which is why we always try to resolve in other ways prior to taking enforcement action.
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
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