A farmer has been ordered to pay more than £8,000 after he illegally chopped down trees.
David Terence Jones, of Penyrheol Las Farm, ignored an enforcement notice issued by Forestry Commission Wales to replant nearly 1.5 hectares of woodland on his land at Coed y Brain, in Llanbradach.
Abertillery magistrates fined Jones £525 and ordered him to pay £7,800 in costs after he re-seeded the area with grass after cutting down the trees, despite an offer of grant aid from Forestry Commission Wales.
He was originally convicted of felling the area without a licence at Blackwood Magistrates Court in 2006.
The Forestry Commission then issued a restocking notice on the land and a subsequent appeal by the farmer was dismissed at Cardiff Crown Court.
However, Mr Jones failed to replant the cleared woodland with trees and the farmer was convicted of failing to comply with an enforcement notice at Abertillery Magistrates Court in December 2009.
As a result of both convictions, Jones was fined and substantial prosecution costs were awarded against him.
Alan Hubbuck, Forestry Commission Wales Woodland Officer, said: “This case clearly demonstrates the consequences of illegal felling.
“The outcome should serve as a warning to others that Forestry Commission Wales is determined to protect our valuable native woodlands from destruction.
“If you are unsure as to whether you require a licence, contact your nearest Forestry Commission Wales office for guidance before you start any tree felling.”