Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they think of a verdant, enigmatic, and vibrant campus filled with wildlife and flora not typically found at other campuses such as South Kensington or White City. In numerous respects, they are correct – and every portrayal of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this lesser-known segment of the Imperial community, I would like to shine a light on the student life, experiences, and community at our natural parkland setting in Ascot, Berkshire.
An Overview of Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s open-air laboratory, covering 77 hectares and showcasing ecosystems like freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A quick look on iNaturalist, an application for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide among an online community of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, while further exploration on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been noted on campus to date.
Additionally, Silwood Park is also the venue for numerous long-term field research initiatives, with Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more prominent studies conducted on-site.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus mainly welcomes postgraduate students passionate about ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Most of us engage in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – dedicated to caring for the chickens nurtured behind our residence halls
- Book Club – who consistently meet to explore interesting reads
- Gardening Club – who oversee the allotments within our community garden
- Conservation Club – who arrange nature walks and conservation-related activities for the students on Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student community, many of us also take part in activities organized by clubs located in South Kensington!
On an informal basis, we also have clubs that participate in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (which happens to be my personal favorite!), held either on the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or at the indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Aside from club activities and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that manages and enhances such activities, ensuring we experience a vibrant and exciting student life! Recently, we’ve hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community united to share languages and cultures over several weeks, and we also welcomed Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year, making dumplings and couplets to celebrate the new lunar year. We’ve also had community-organized parties that celebrate events from around the globe (such as Carnival), or parties that are simply for the joy of gathering.
However, my favorite campus event undoubtedly has to be the weekly pub quiz, organized by our student body. It’s part of Silwood culture that the losers of the pub quiz must set up the next one, and I can proudly claim the highest number of pub quizzes arranged this year. Even though I’ve lost countless pub quizzes owing to my lackluster trivia knowledge, there’s always sheer enjoyment to be found with great company and a cold pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Although just a 30-minute stroll from the lively pulse of town (like the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never been dull or lacking. Beyond the myriad events and activities, we share a warm and inviting community made up of students from various corners of the globe. We all share a passion for nature, appreciate our stunning campus grounds, and, more importantly, relish each