Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When students from Imperial think of Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, enigmatic, verdant campus filled with extraordinary plants and animals, distinct from those found in South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct—every representation of Silwood Park is true!
As a voice for this lesser-known Imperial community, I aim to shed light on the student experience, activities, and community within our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, covering 77 hectares and hosting habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and open fields. A quick look on iNaturalist, an application for charting and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide, shows 1,436 species of vegetation, wildlife, and fungi recorded on campus. Furthermore, a search on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been documented on the campus to date.
Notably, Silwood Park is home to numerous long-term field research initiatives, including the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, both prominent studies carried out on-site.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus primarily accommodates postgraduate students focused on ecology, conservation, and evolution projects. Many of us are involved in various clubs located at Silwood Park. Noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to chickens raised behind our accommodation
- Book Club – discussing interesting literature on a regular basis
- Gardening Club – overseeing allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – arranging nature walks and conservation initiatives for students at Silwood Park.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also engage in clubs based in South Kensington!
Informally, we participate in sports clubs that involve badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my favorite!), either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or in indoor sports facilities in nearby towns such as Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that organizes and facilitates activities to promote a lively and engaging student experience! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, along with our annual celebration of the Chinese New Year, where we made dumplings and couplets to usher in the new lunar year. We have also organized community parties to mark global events (like Carnival) or simply to celebrate the joy of gatherings.
My favorite event on campus is the weekly pub quiz, organized by our student community. It’s a part of Silwood culture that the team members who lose the quiz are responsible for setting the next one, and I can proudly state that I have set the most pub quizzes this year. Despite frequently losing quizzes due to my lack of general trivia knowledge, there’s always great enjoyment with good company and a nice pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Home Away from Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the nearest town (e.g., the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never been dull or uninteresting. Alongside various events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community of students from around the globe. We all cherish nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, more importantly, the camaraderie we share. We’re a tight-knit group that relishes stargazing in the winter chill in the open field beside our bar, observing the birds and animals that visit our windows, and enjoying time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook alongside my good friend from India, who shares my passion for Asian cuisine and birdwatching. We are often joined by friends living just a short walk away in the neighboring halls of residence. After dinner, we typically engage in board games or watch films.