Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When students from Imperial envision Silwood Park, they picture a verdant, enigmatic, and green campus brimming with extraordinary wildlife and plant life, distinctly different from other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct—every representation of Silwood Park is spot on!
As a voice from this lesser-known Imperial community, I aim to showcase the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
A glimpse into Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, covering 77 hectares and encompassing environments like freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A brief investigation on iNaturalist, an application for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations globally among a network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been logged on campus. A further inquiry on eBird indicates 111 bird species recorded on campus to date.
Moreover, Silwood Park is home to numerous longitudinal field research projects, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more notable studies conducted onsite.
Student experiences at Silwood Park
The campus mainly accommodates postgraduate scholars focused on ecology, conservation, and evolution initiatives. Most of us belong to several clubs operating at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – caring for the chickens located behind our residence halls
- Book Club – frequently discussing engaging books
- Gardening Club – maintaining the plots in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation efforts for Silwood Park students.
As members of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also engage in activities with clubs situated in South Kensington!
Casually, we have clubs involved in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), either utilizing the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Alongside club activities and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that organizes and promotes such activities, ensuring an active and dynamic student experience! Recently, we held a Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community exchanged languages and cultures over several weeks. We also welcomed the Lunar New Year at the beginning of the year, crafting dumplings and couplets to celebrate the new lunar calendar. We’ve also hosted community-organized parties to commemorate global occasions (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of festivities.
My favorite event on campus is the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the teams who lose the pub quiz prepare the next one, and I can proudly state that I have set the most pub quizzes this year. Even though I’ve lost many quizzes due to my lack of general trivia knowledge, the good times with pleasant company and a fine pint of beer always make it enjoyable.
Silwood Park: my home away from home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively ambiance of town (e.g., the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or deficient. Aside from the various events and activities, we have a warm and inviting community made up of students from around the globe. We all appreciate nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, more significantly, each other’s companionship. We form a close-knit community that delights in stargazing under the winter sky in the open field beside our bar, observing birds and mammals visit our windows, and spending time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
On most evenings, I prepare meals with my dear friend from India, who shares my passion