Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When many Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they think of a verdant, enchanting campus bustling with diverse flora and fauna not typically encountered at other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are correct – every depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a member of this lesser-known community within Imperial, I would like to shed light on the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural park campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
An overview of Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and featuring habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A quick search on iNaturalist, an app that allows users to document and share biodiversity observations with a global community of naturalists, reveals that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, while a check on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been noted thus far.
Moreover, Silwood Park hosts numerous long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more prominent studies carried out on the premises.
Campus life at Silwood Park
The campus primarily accommodates postgraduate students engaged in projects centered around ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us belong to various clubs located at Silwood Park. Some notable examples include:
- Chicken Club – responsible for the care of the chickens kept behind our residence halls
- Book Club – who convene regularly to discuss engaging literature
- Gardening Club – who oversee the plots in our community garden
- Conservation Club – who organize nature walks and conservation-based initiatives for students at Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the larger Imperial student body, many of us also get involved in clubs located in South Kensington!
On a more informal note, we have groups that participate in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), which take place either in the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or in nearby indoor sports facilities in places like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park features its own student council that coordinates and facilitates these events to foster a lively and engaging student experience! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community came together to share languages and cultures over several weeks, along with our annual Chinese New Year celebration at the beginning of the year, where everyone participated in making dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. We’ve also hosted community-organized gatherings celebrating global events (like Carnival), or parties simply for the joy of celebration.
However, my most cherished campus event has to be the weekly pub quiz, organized by our student community. It’s a part of Silwood tradition that the losing teams of the pub quiz are responsible for setting the next one, and I can proudly state that I have organized the highest number of pub quizzes this year. Despite losing many pub quizzes due to my inadequate general trivia knowledge, there’s always good fun with great company and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my second home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the bustling heart of civilization (like the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or lacking. In addition to the myriad events and activities, we boast a friendly and inclusive community made up of students from around the globe. We all share a passion for nature, adore our beautiful campus landscapes, and most importantly, enjoy each other’s company. We’re a tightly-knit