Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When most Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they imagine a vibrant, enigmatic, and verdant campus bustling with wildlife and vegetation rarely found at other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every depiction of Silwood Park is precise!
As an advocate for this lesser-known faction at Imperial, I would like to shed light on the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Introducing Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s open-air laboratory, covering 77 hectares and featuring environments like freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A quick search on iNaturalist, an application for documenting and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide within a network of naturalists, reveals that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, while eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been identified to date.
Interestingly, Silwood Park also hosts numerous long-term field research initiatives, with notable projects such as the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more recognized studies conducted here.
Student Experiences at Silwood Park
The campus primarily accommodates postgraduate students keen on engaging in projects focused on ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us belong to various clubs based at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – responsible for caring for the chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – who meet regularly to discuss their reading lists
- Gardening Club – who oversee the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – who arrange nature walks and conservation-themed activities for students on Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the larger Imperial student body, many of us also engage in activities with clubs based in South Kensington!
We also have informal clubs that participate in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), utilizing either the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or the indoor sports facilities located in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Alongside club activities and classes, we host a variety of community-led events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates these activities, creating a lively and enjoyable student atmosphere! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, which brought our largely international community together to share languages and cultures over several weeks. Additionally, we celebrated our annual Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year, where everyone joined in making dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. We’ve also organized community parties commemorating global events (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of gathering.
However, my favorite campus event must be the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s a part of Silwood tradition that the losing team of the pub quiz is responsible for organizing the next one, and I can proudly say I’ve set the most pub quizzes this year. Even though I’ve lost many due to my lackluster trivia skills, there’s always a great time with good friends and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
While being a 30-minute walk away from the lively essence of civilization (including the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never felt dull or deficient. Beyond the multitude of events and activities, we enjoy a warm and inviting community made up of students from across the globe. We all share a passion for nature, appreciate our stunning campus grounds, and, more importantly, cherish each other’s company. We’re a