Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet focusing on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When many Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they see a vibrant, enchanting, and green campus bustling with wildlife and plant life seldom observed at other locations like South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every portrayal of Silwood Park is precise!
As a member of this lesser-known community at Imperial, I would like to emphasize the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Getting to know Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and showcasing ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and open fields. A quick search on iNaturalist, an application for documenting and sharing biodiversity findings globally among an online community of naturalists, reveals that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, and a further inquiry on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been documented here to date.
Interestingly, Silwood Park is the setting for numerous long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more notable studies conducted on-site.
Campus life at Silwood Park
The campus primarily accommodates postgraduate students who are interested in projects focusing on ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us actively participate in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – who look after the chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – who convene regularly to discuss interesting literature
- Gardening Club – who oversee the allotments within our community garden
- Conservation Club – who arrange nature walks and conservation-related activities for students at Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student community, several of us are also members and frequently engage in activities of clubs situated in South Kensington!
Casually, we host clubs that partake in activities like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), which take place either on the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or in indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Apart from club activities and classes, numerous community-led events occur on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and supports such activities to maintain a lively and engaging student atmosphere! Recently, we had the Silwood language exchange, which brought our largely international community together to share languages and cultures over several weeks, and we also celebrated our annual Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year, where everyone participated in making dumplings and couplets to usher in the new lunar year. We’ve also enjoyed community-organized parties celebrating global events (like Carnival) or simply gatherings meant for the joy of socializing.
However, my favorite campus event must be the weekly pub quiz, organized by our student community. A tradition at Silwood dictates that the quiz losers must arrange the next one, and I can proudly state that I hold the record for the most pub quizzes organized this year. Despite my frequent losses due to my lack of general trivia knowledge, there’s always a great deal of enjoyment to be found in good company and a fine pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the lively atmosphere of civilization (for instance, the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never been dull or unexciting. In addition to the multitude of events and activities, we boast a friendly and inclusive community made up of students from across the globe. We all share a passion for nature, our stunning campus surroundings, and, most importantly, each other’s company.