Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet focused on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they see a verdant, enigmatic, and green campus bustling with wildlife and vegetation not typically found at other campuses such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every portrayal of Silwood Park is accurate!
As a member of this lesser-known community within Imperial, I would like to emphasize the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Introducing Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, covering 77 hectares and comprising habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and sprawling grasslands. A quick search on iNaturalist, a platform for documenting and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide within a social network of naturalists, reveals that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, while a search on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been noted on campus to date.
Moreover, Silwood Park is host to numerous long-term field research projects, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more recognized initiatives carried out on-site.
Campus life at Silwood Park
The campus mainly accommodates postgraduate students engaged in projects related to ecology, conservation, and evolution. Most of us are part of different clubs situated at Silwood Park. Some notable ones include:
- Chicken Club – responsible for caring for the chickens kept behind our residence halls
- Book Club – which meets regularly to discuss topics of interest from their reading lists
- Gardening Club – which oversees the allotments within our community garden
- Conservation Club – which arranges nature walks and conservation-oriented activities for students on Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also engage in activities hosted by clubs in South Kensington!
Casually, we also form clubs that participate in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), which take place either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or in the indoor sports facilities located in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club functions and classes, we host various community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates these activities to promote a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we had the Silwood language exchange, where our largely international community united to share our languages and cultures over several weeks, and we also celebrated our annual Chinese New Year event at the beginning of the year, where everyone helped prepare dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. Additionally, we have hosted community-organized parties celebrating global events (like Carnival), as well as gatherings arranged purely for the joy of socializing.
However, my favorite event on campus has to be the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student body. It has become a Silwood tradition that the individuals who lose the pub quiz must organize the next one, and I can proudly assert that I have set the highest number of pub quizzes this year. Even though I have lost countless pub quizzes due to my inadequate general knowledge, there is always good fun to be had in pleasant company with a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my sanctuary away from home
Although it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively buzz of civilization (such as the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed monotonous or uninteresting. Along with the many events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community made up of students from various corners of the globe. We all cherish