Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students envision Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, enigmatic, and green campus alive with wildlife and plants that are rarely found at other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every portrayal of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this less-familiar community within Imperial, I want to shed light on the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Getting to know Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and comprising ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive grasslands. A quick search on iNaturalist, a platform for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide among a global network of naturalists, reveals that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. An additional search on eBird uncovers that 111 bird species have been noted on campus to date.
Notably, Silwood Park is home to numerous long-term field research initiatives, with Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project standing out as two of the more recognized studies taking place on-site.
The student experience at Silwood Park
The campus predominantly accommodates postgraduate students engaged in ecology, conservation, and evolution research. Most of us actively participate in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – regularly discussing intriguing literature
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – arranging nature walks and conservation initiatives for students at Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also take part in events organized by clubs located in South Kensington!
Informally, we have clubs involved in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my absolute favorite!), either based on the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Besides club activities and classes, there are numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and oversees such activities, fostering a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, and our annual Chinese New Year festivities at the start of the year, where everyone gathered to make dumplings and couplets to celebrate the new lunar year. We’ve also enjoyed community-organized parties that celebrate global events (like Carnival) or simply parties thrown for the sake of celebration.
However, my top campus event has to be the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s part of Silwood culture that the losers of the pub quiz organize the next one, and I can confidently state that I hold the record for the most pub quizzes set this year. Even though I’ve lost many pub quizzes due to my weak general trivia knowledge, there’s always laughter with great friends and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Although it’s a 30-minute walk from the lively atmosphere of civilization (e.g., the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or empty. Alongside the myriad of events and activities, we are part of a friendly and inclusive community of students from around the globe. We all cherish nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, more significantly, each other’s companionship. We’re a close-knit community that delights in stargazing in the winter chill on the open field by our bar, watching the birds and mammals that visit.