Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When many students at Imperial think about Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, enchanting, green campus rich with wildlife and plants not typically found at other locations like South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As an advocate for this lesser-known faction within Imperial, I would like to emphasize the student experience, activities, and community present at our campus in Ascot, Berkshire, which is set in natural parkland.
Introducing Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and encompassing diverse habitats, including freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive grasslands. A quick search on iNaturalist, an application for documenting and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide within an online network of nature enthusiasts, reveals that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Additional research on eBird shows that 111 species of birds have been cataloged on campus to date.
Interestingly, Silwood Park is also the location for numerous long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more notable studies conducted on-site.
Experiencing student life at Silwood Park
The campus primarily hosts postgraduate students focused on projects associated with ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us engage in various clubs rooted in Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – responsible for caring for the chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – where members frequently convene to discuss captivating literature
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation-driven activities for students at Silwood Park Campus.
As participants in the broader Imperial student body, many of us also partake in activities hosted by clubs located in South Kensington!
Additionally, we have informal clubs that focus on sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), either on the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park features its own student council that organizes and facilitates such events to promote a lively and engaging student atmosphere! In recent months, we’ve participated in the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international group came together to share languages and cultures over several weeks. We also celebrated the Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year by making dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. Community-organized gatherings have celebrated global events (like Carnival) or simply been for the joy of festivities.
However, my favorite campus event has to be the weekly pub quiz, organized by our student body. It’s a Silwood tradition that the quiz losers plan the next one, and I can proudly state that I hold the record for the highest number of quizzes set this year. Despite often losing quizzes due to my limited general knowledge, there’s always a joyful atmosphere with great company and a good pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the bustling centers of civilization (such as the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or lacking. Alongside countless events and activities, we share a warm and inviting community of students from across the globe. We all appreciate nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, more significantly, each other’s companionship. We are a tight-knit group that enjoys stargazing in the chilly winter on the open field adjacent to our bar,