Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When students at Imperial envision Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, mysterious, and green campus brimming with distinctive plant and animal life, setting it apart from other locations like South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are spot on—every depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this lesser-known aspect of the Imperial community, I aim to shed light on the student life, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park functions as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and featuring ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive grasslands. A quick examination on iNaturalist, an application dedicated to mapping and sharing biodiversity observations globally amongst a community of nature enthusiasts, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on our campus. Furthermore, a check on eBird shows that 111 species of birds have been noted on-site so far.
Perhaps most notably, Silwood Park is home to a variety of long-term field studies, including the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, both of which are among the more famous initiatives carried out here.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus is primarily home to postgraduate students engaged in projects related to ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us participate in a range of clubs based at Silwood Park. Some key examples include:
- Chicken Club – caring for hens raised behind our housing facilities
- Book Club – holding regular discussions on interesting literature
- Gardening Club – overseeing the community garden plots
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation initiatives for Silwood Park students.
As part of the larger Imperial student body, many of us also get involved in the activities of clubs situated in South Kensington!
On a more casual note, we have clubs participating in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), held either at the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports halls in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Apart from club activities and lessons, we organize numerous community-led events on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that manages and promotes such activities, creating a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we organized the Silwood language exchange, where our international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, as well as our annual Chinese New Year celebration, during which everyone gathered to make dumplings and couplets to usher in the new lunar year. Additionally, we’ve hosted community-driven parties celebrating various global festivities (like Carnival) or simply to revel in the joy of gatherings.
My favorite event on campus is undoubtedly the weekly pub quiz, run by our student community. It’s customary at Silwood that the quiz runners for the next round are the ones who performed poorly in the previous one, and I can proudly say I hold the record for the most quizzes set this year. Despite frequently failing to answer correctly due to my limited general knowledge, the experience is always filled with laughter, good company, and a nice pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Home Away from Home
Although it’s a 30-minute stroll from the bustling atmosphere of town (for instance, the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park is never dull or devoid of excitement. Besides the multitude of events and activities, we enjoy a friendly and inviting community of students from all over the globe. We all share a love for nature, our stunning campus, and, most importantly, each other’s company. We are a tight-knit community that relishes stargazing in the chilly winter nights in the open field next to our bar, observing the wildlife that frequents our windows, and spending quality time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I share cooking time with my dear friend from India, who shares my