Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When Imperial scholars envision Silwood Park, they picture a lush, captivating, and green campus brimming with distinctive flora and fauna, which sets it apart from other campuses like South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they are spot on, and every mental image of Silwood Park is indeed valid!
As a member of this lesser-known community within Imperial, my goal is to illuminate the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park acts as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and featuring environments such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and open meadows. A quick search on iNaturalist, an application for mapping and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide with a network of naturalists online, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been cataloged on the grounds. Furthermore, a look on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been spotted on campus to date.
Remarkably, Silwood Park also hosts several long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more notable studies carried out there.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus mainly accommodates postgraduate students focused on ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us actively participate in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Some noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens raised behind our residential halls
- Book Club – gathering regularly to discuss intriguing books
- 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 engage in activities of clubs situated in South Kensington!
Casually, we have clubs focused on sports like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my absolute favorite!), either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns such as Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, numerous community-led events occur on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that organizes and manages such events to promote a vibrant and thrilling student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks. We also marked the Chinese New Year at the beginning of the year, crafting dumplings and couplets to celebrate the new lunar year. Additionally, we’ve had community-led gatherings celebrating global traditions (like Carnival) or simply out of a love for partying.
My favorite campus event is the weekly pub quiz, coordinated by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the quiz losers prepare the next one, and I can proudly say that I have set the highest number of quizzes this year. Even though I’ve lost many quizzes due to my limited trivia knowledge, there’s always enjoyment to be had with good friends and a pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Although it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively atmosphere of civilization (e.g., the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or lacking. With countless events and activities, we foster a friendly and inclusive community of students from around the globe. We all share a passion for nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, most importantly, each other’s companionship. We’re a tight-knit community that relishes stargazing in the winter chill on the open field near our bar, watching birds and mammals visit our room windows, and spending quality time with fellow nature enthusiasts.