Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When students at Imperial think of Silwood Park, they picture a verdant, enchanting, and green campus filled with distinct flora and fauna, in contrast to South Kensington or White City. In many ways, this perception is accurate—every depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this lesser-known Imperial community, I want to shed light on the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park functions as Imperial’s open-air laboratory, covering 77 hectares and comprising habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and wide-open grasslands. A brief search on iNaturalist, an app designed for mapping and sharing biodiversity observations globally alongside a social network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of flora, fauna, and fungi have been noted on campus. Moreover, eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been logged on campus.
Interestingly, Silwood Park is home to numerous long-term field research initiatives, including the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, which are among the more distinguished projects carried out on-site.
Campus Life at Silwood Park
The campus primarily hosts postgraduate students involved in projects related to ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us join various clubs based at Silwood Park. Notable examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens raised behind our dormitories
- Book Club – engaging in discussions about interesting reads
- Gardening Club – overseeing the community garden plots
- Conservation Club – arranging nature walks and conservation efforts for Silwood Park students.
As part of the larger Imperial student body, many of us also take part in activities of clubs centered in South Kensington!
Casually, we have sports clubs for badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), making use of the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, many community-led events take place on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that organizes and facilitates these activities to foster a vibrant and engaging student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our international community connected through languages and cultures over several weeks, and celebrated the annual Chinese New Year with dumplings and couplets to ring in the new lunar year. We’ve also hosted community-organized parties that celebrate global events (like Carnival) or simply gather for the joy of festivities.
My favorite campus event is the weekly pub quiz, arranged by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that those who lose the quiz set the following one, and I proudly hold the record for the most quizzes set this year. Despite losing many quizzes due to my limited general trivia knowledge, there’s always enjoyment to be found with great company and a pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Home Away from Home
Although situated a 30-minute walk from the bustling energy of civilization (e.g., the train station and closest village), life at Silwood Park never seems dull or lacking. Beyond the multitude of events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community of students from around the globe. We all cherish nature, our picturesque campus grounds, and, most importantly, one another’s companionship. We’re a tight-knit community reveling in stargazing in the winter chill in the open field next to our bar, observing birds and mammals at our windows, and enjoying time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook alongside my dear friend from India, who shares my passion for Asian cuisine and birdwatching. We are frequently joined by friends residing a short walk away in neighboring dorms. After dinner, we typically engage in board games or watch