Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When considering Silwood Park, most students from Imperial picture a vibrant, enigmatic, and verdant campus flourishing with distinct plant and animal life, distinct from the experiences at other campuses such as South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are right—each depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a member of this lesser-known Imperial community, I wish to emphasize the student experience, activities, and camaraderie within our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
A brief overview of Silwood Park
Silwood Park operates as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, encompassing 77 hectares that include habitats like freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A quick search on iNaturalist, an app for mapping and sharing global biodiversity observations, shows that 1,436 species of flora, fauna, and fungi are recorded on the campus. Moreover, eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been noted on campus to date.
Notably, Silwood Park is the venue for several long-established field research initiatives, such as the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, both recognized projects conducted on-site.
Student life at Silwood Park
The campus mainly accommodates postgraduate students focused on ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us are involved in different clubs based at Silwood Park. Prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – frequently discussing intriguing books
- Gardening Club – overseeing allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating 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 located in South Kensington!
On an informal basis, we enjoy sports clubs like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), making use of either the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or indoor sports venues in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club undertakings and classes, we host numerous community-led events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that engages in organizing and facilitating these activities, fostering a dynamic and exciting student life! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our international community exchanged languages and cultures over several weeks alongside our annual Chinese New Year celebration, where we crafted dumplings and couplets to ring in the new lunar year. We’ve also hosted community-organized festivities honoring global events (like Carnival) or simply celebrating the joy of gatherings.
My favorite campus occasion is the weekly pub quiz, orchestrated by our student body. It’s a Silwood tradition that the pub quiz losers organize the next one, and I can proudly say I have set the most pub quizzes this year. Despite my frequent defeats due to my lacking general trivia knowledge, there’s always an enjoyable time with wonderful company and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively atmosphere of civilization (like the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park is never dull or insufficient. In addition to the myriad of events and activities, we cherish a friendly and inviting community of students from across the globe. We all appreciate nature, our stunning campus surroundings, and, more significantly, each other’s presence. We are a tight-knit community that revels in stargazing during the chilly winter nights on the open field beside our bar, observing birds and mammals visit our windows, and spending moments with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I prepare meals with my dear friend from India, who shares my passion for Asian cuisine and birdwatching. We’re frequently joined by friends living just a short walk away in the nearby residence halls. After dinner, we typically