Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When Imperial students imagine Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, enchanting, and green campus alive with distinctive flora and fauna, different from those at South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are right—every portrayal of Silwood Park holds true!
As a member of this lesser-known Imperial community, I seek to showcase the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Discovering Silwood Park
Silwood Park functions as Imperial’s natural laboratory, covering 77 hectares and encompassing environments such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and open fields. A quick lookup on iNaturalist, an app for tracking and sharing biodiversity observations internationally among a community of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Moreover, a search on eBird reveals 111 bird species documented on campus to date.
Notably, Silwood Park is home to various long-term field research projects, including the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, which are among the more prominent projects undertaken on-site.
Campus Life at Silwood Park
The campus mainly hosts postgraduate students engaged in ecology, conservation, and evolution studies. Many of us are involved in several clubs located at Silwood Park. Some notable examples include:
- Chicken Club – caring for chickens kept behind our residence halls
- Book Club – routinely discussing intriguing books
- Gardening Club – overseeing allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – organizing nature walks and conservation efforts for Silwood Park students.
As part of the larger Imperial student community, many of us also engage in activities provided by clubs based in South Kensington!
Casually, we have clubs participating in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or in indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, we host numerous community-led events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates these activities to maintain a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks. We also marked the Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year, making dumplings and couplets to celebrate the new lunar year. Additionally, we’ve hosted community-organized parties to celebrate global events (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of festivities.
However, my favorite campus event is the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the quiz losers organize the next one, and I can proudly state that I’ve set the highest number this year. Despite losing many quizzes due to my weak general trivia knowledge, there’s always enjoyment to be found with great company and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Home Away from Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the bustling excitement of civilization (e.g., the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or deficient. Alongside numerous events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community of students from all corners of the globe. We all cherish nature, our stunning campus surroundings, and, importantly, each other’s company. We’re a tight community that delights in stargazing in the wintry chill on the field next to our bar, observing the birds and mammals that grace our room windows, and basking in the company of fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook alongside my dear friend from India, who shares my passion for Asian cuisine and birdwatching.