Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When most students of Imperial think of Silwood Park, they picture a vibrant, enchanting, and green campus brimming with wildlife and vegetation seldom found at other locations like South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they’re spot on – every depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a member of this less widely recognized Imperial community, I’d like to shed light on the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Presenting Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research site, covering 77 hectares and showcasing ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and open grasslands. A quick inquiry on iNaturalist, an app for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations globally within a community of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on the premises. Furthermore, a search on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been identified on campus to date.
Even more fascinating, Silwood Park is home to numerous long-term field research endeavors, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more prominent studies conducted here.
Student Experience at Silwood Park
The campus mainly hosts postgraduate students engaged in ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us participate in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – looking after chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – meeting regularly to discuss books of interest
- Gardening Club – tending to 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 get involved in activities of clubs located in South Kensington!
In a more casual sense, we have clubs that engage in sports like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), utilizing either the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or indoor sports facilities in nearby towns such as Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, we host various community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates these activities to ensure a vibrant and engaging student experience! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our largely international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, along with our annual Chinese New Year celebration at the beginning of the year, where everyone made dumplings and couplets to welcome in a new lunar year. There have also been community-organized parties celebrating global happenings (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of socializing.
However, my favorite campus event is the weekly pub quiz, organized by our student community. It’s a part of Silwood tradition that the quiz losers are responsible for hosting the next one, and I can proudly declare the highest number of pub quizzes organized this year. Even though I often lose due to my lackluster general trivia knowledge, there’s always enjoyable fun with good company and a delightful pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from bustling civilization (for instance, the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or wanting. Beyond the multitude of events and activities, we share a warm and friendly community of students from around the globe. We all cherish nature, our beautiful campus grounds, and, most importantly, each other’s companionship. We’re a tight-knit community relishing stargazing in the chilly winter on the open field next to our pub, watching birds and mammals grace our window views, and enjoying time among fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook with my dear