Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students think of Silwood Park, they envision a lush, mysterious, and green campus filled with wildlife and flora that are rarely seen on other campuses like South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are spot on—every depiction of Silwood Park is correct!
As a voice for this lesser-known corner of Imperial, I seek to shed light on the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park acts as Imperial’s open-air laboratory, covering 77 hectares and encompassing ecosystems like freshwater streams, ponds, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive grasslands. A quick look on iNaturalist, an application for documenting and sharing biodiversity findings globally with a network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Furthermore, a search on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been observed on campus to date.
More fascinatingly, Silwood Park is home to various long-term field research initiatives, including the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, which are among the more prominent studies conducted on-site.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus predominantly hosts postgraduate students focused on ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us take part in diverse clubs situated at Silwood Park. A few notable examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens raised behind our student residences
- Book Club – gathering regularly to discuss interesting reads
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – arranging nature walks and conservation endeavors for students on Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student network, many of us also engage in activities of clubs located in South Kensington!
Additionally, we casually have clubs involved in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), based either on the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Apart from club activities and classes, many community-driven events take place on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates such events to ensure a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community shared languages and cultural insights over several weeks. We also marked Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year by making dumplings and couplets to greet the new lunar year. Community-organized celebrations for global events (like Carnival) or just out of love for gatherings have also taken place.
My favorite on-campus activity is the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the quiz losers must organize the next one, and I can proudly assert the title for the most pub quizzes set this year. Despite failing many quizzes owing to my limited general knowledge, the company is always delightful along with a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively atmosphere of civilization (such as the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or insufficient. In addition to the multitude of events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community of students from all over the globe. We all share a fondness for nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, most importantly, each other’s company. We are a tight-knit community that delights in stargazing in the chilly winter on the open field next to our bar, observing birds and mammals visit our windows, and spending time among fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I prepare meals with my dear friend from India, who shares