Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When the majority of students at Imperial conjure images of Silwood Park, they picture a verdant, captivating campus alive with wildlife and vegetation rare to more familiar locations like South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this often-overlooked enclave at Imperial, I wish to shed light on the student experience, activities, and community within our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Introducing Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, covering 77 hectares and showcasing ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive grasslands. A brief inquiry on iNaturalist, an application for documenting and sharing biodiversity observations internationally with a virtual network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on the grounds. Additionally, an investigation on eBird indicates that 111 avian species have been identified on campus thus far.
Notably, Silwood Park is home to various long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two prominent studies conducted on-site.
Student Experience at Silwood Park
The campus primarily accommodates postgraduate scholars engaged in ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us belong to various clubs established at Silwood Park. Noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – caring for chickens bred behind our residence halls
- Book Club – regularly engaging in discussions about books of interest
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments within our communal garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation efforts for students at Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also engage in activities from clubs rooted in South Kensington!
Casually, we have gatherings for sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (which happens to be my personal favorite!), either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club events and classes, we host a variety of community-organized events on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that organizes and facilitates activities to ensure a dynamic and engaging student life! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, allowing our largely international group to share languages and cultures over several weeks. We also welcomed the lunar new year with a Chinese New Year celebration, making dumplings and couplets. We’ve participated in community-organized celebrations for global events (like Carnival) or simply parties for the joy of coming together.
My favorite event on campus is the weekly pub quiz, arranged by our student community. It’s part of Silwood culture that the losers of the quiz prepare the next one, and I can proudly state I hold the record for the most quizzes set this year. Despite my numerous failures in pub quizzes due to my lack of general trivia knowledge, the experience always brings great enjoyment with wonderful company and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the lively pulse of civilization (e.g., the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never been dull or monotonous. With a plethora of events and activities, we enjoy a warm and inviting community of students from diverse backgrounds. We share a passion for nature, relish our stunning campus landscapes, and, most importantly, appreciate each other’s presence. We form a tight-knit community that revels in stargazing during the winter chill in the open field adjacent to our bar, observing the birds and mammals outside our windows, and bonding with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I prepare meals with my dear friend from India.