Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet focusing on Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When many Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they see a vibrant, enigmatic, and verdant campus alive with wildlife and vegetation that are rarely found in places like South Kensington or White City. In numerous respects, they are correct – every depiction of Silwood Park is spot on!
As a voice for this lesser-known faction within Imperial, I wish to showcase the student experience, events, and the community at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
An overview of Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor experimental space, covering 77 hectares and encompassing ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and open pastures. A brief inquiry on iNaturalist, an application designed for mapping and sharing global biodiversity observations with a network of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. An additional look on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been noted on campus thus far.
Moreover, Silwood Park is home to a variety of long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more prominent studies conducted here.
Life as a student at Silwood Park
The campus predominantly accommodates postgraduate students fascinated by ecology, conservation, and evolution initiatives. Many of us engage in various clubs located at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples are:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens raised behind our student accommodation
- Book Club – frequently convening to discuss interesting literature
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation-oriented activities for Silwood Park students.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also get involved in clubs based in South Kensington!
Casually, we have clubs that participate in sports like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), played either on the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or in indoor sports facilities in surrounding towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Apart from club activities and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council responsible for organizing and managing these happenings, fostering a lively and engaging student atmosphere! Recently, we launched the Silwood language exchange, where our mostly international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, and we kicked off the New Year by making dumplings and couplets to celebrate the lunar new year. We’ve also enjoyed community-organized parties celebrating global events (like Carnival) or simply gatherings to revel in the joy of festivities.
My favorite event on campus has to be the weekly pub quiz, led by our student community. It’s part of Silwood culture that the quiz losers take charge of organizing the next one, and I can proudly proclaim the highest tally of pub quizzes organized this year. Despite frequently losing pub quizzes due to my subpar general knowledge, there’s always joyous fun to be had among good company and a delightful pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively pulse of civilization (e.g., the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never felt dull or deficient. Along with a myriad of events and activities, we have a friendly and inclusive community of students from around the globe. We all cherish nature, our stunning campus, and, more significantly, each other’s presence. We’re a tight-knit community that relishes stargazing in the chilly winter on the open field adjacent to our bar, watching birds and mammals grace our room windows, and spending quality time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook alongside my dear friend from India, who shares my