Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students consider Silwood Park, they picture a verdant, enigmatic, and green campus brimming with wildlife and vegetation seldom encountered at other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every impression formed of Silwood Park is true!
As a member of this lesser-known enclave at Imperial, I wish to spotlight the student experience, activities, and community present at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
An overview of Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and encompassing environments such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive meadows. A brief search on iNaturalist, a platform for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations globally with a network of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. A further inquiry on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been identified on campus thus far.
More captivatingly, Silwood Park is also the location for numerous long-term field research initiatives, with Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the notable studies conducted on-site.
Student experiences at Silwood Park
The campus mainly accommodates postgraduate students pursuing projects related to ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us are involved in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – overseeing the chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – frequently convening to discuss intriguing books
- Gardening Club – tending to the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation-focused activities for students on Silwood Park Campus.
As integral members of the broader Imperial student community, many of us are also part of and actively engage in activities of clubs based in South Kensington!
Informally, we have clubs that pivot around sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), taking place 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 activities and classes, there are numerous community-led events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that orchestrates and facilitates such activities, ensuring an energetic and engaging student life! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community gathered to share languages and cultures over several weeks, and we also ushered in the Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year, crafting dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. We’ve also enjoyed community-organized gatherings celebrating various international festivities (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of socializing.
However, my favorite campus event has to be the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the losers of the pub quiz are responsible for organizing the next one, and I can proudly say I have set the most pub quizzes this year. Despite losing countless pub quizzes due to my lackluster general trivia knowledge, there’s always plenty of laughter with great company and a good pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively essence of civilization (e.g., the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed ordinary or insufficient. Along with the plethora of events and activities, we enjoy a friendly and inclusive community of students from various corners of the globe. We all share a passion for nature, our stunning campus surroundings, and, more importantly, each other’s companionship. We’re a closely-knit community that relishes stargazing in the wintry chill on the open field adjacent to our bar,