Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When Imperial students envision Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, enchanting, and verdant campus bustling with distinctive flora and fauna, unlike those found in other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are absolutely right—every portrayal of Silwood Park is precise!
As a representative of this lesser-known segment of Imperial, I seek to spotlight the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus situated in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park functions as Imperial’s open-air laboratory, covering 77 hectares and comprising habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive grasslands. A quick look at iNaturalist, an application for tracking and sharing biodiversity observations globally with an online community of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Furthermore, a search on eBird indicates that to date, 111 bird species have been noted on site.
More fascinatingly, Silwood Park is home to various long-term field research initiatives, such as the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, two of the more prominent studies taking place here.
Student Experience at Silwood Park
The campus mainly houses postgraduate scholars drawn to ecology, conservation, and evolution research. Many among us engage in a variety of clubs based at Silwood Park. Some highlights include:
- Chicken Club – tending to chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – convening regularly to discuss intriguing reads
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our communal garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature hikes and conservation initiatives for Silwood Park students.
As part of the wider Imperial student body, many of us also join and actively engage in clubs based in South Kensington!
Casually, we have groups involved in sports like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my absolute favorite!), located either at the multi-use sports facility (MUGA) on campus or indoor sports venues in neighboring towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, numerous community-driven events take place on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates such events, fostering a lively and dynamic student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, allowing our international community to share languages and cultures over several weeks, and our annual Chinese New Year celebration, where everyone came together to make dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. We’ve also celebrated community-organized parties for global events (such as Carnival) or simply for the joy of gathering.
My preferred campus event, however, is the weekly pub quiz organized by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the losing team of the pub quiz must host the next one, and I can proudly claim to have set the most pub quizzes this year. Although I’ve lost countless pub quizzes due to my lack of general trivia expertise, there’s always great fun to be had with wonderful company and a good pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively atmosphere of civilization (e.g., the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park never seems dull or unexciting. Beyond the various events and activities, we enjoy a friendly and inviting community of students from all corners of the globe. We all appreciate nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, perhaps most importantly, one another’s presence. We’re a close-knit group that delights in stargazing in the winter chill on the open field beside our bar, observing birds and mammals at our windows, and spending time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I prepare meals with