Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When students at Imperial picture Silwood Park, they see a vibrant, enigmatic, and lush campus filled with distinct plant and animal life, setting it apart from other sites like South Kensington or White City. In many ways, they’re spot on—every vision of Silwood Park is true!
As a voice for this lesser-known Imperial community, I would like to shed light on the student experience, activities, and camaraderie at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park acts as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, covering 77 hectares with ecosystems including freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A quick inquiry on iNaturalist, a platform for tracking and sharing biodiversity insights globally within a social network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Furthermore, a review on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been identified on campus to date.
Even more fascinating, Silwood Park is home to various long-term field research initiatives, such as the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project, which are among the more prominent studies conducted on location.
Life as a Student at Silwood Park
The campus mainly hosts postgraduate scholars focused on ecology, conservation, and evolution studies. Many of us take part in diverse clubs based at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens raised behind our dormitories
- Book Club – meeting regularly to discuss noteworthy reading selections
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation efforts for students on Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also engage in activities with clubs located in South Kensington!
Unformally, we have clubs participating in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), either at the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Aside from club activities and classes, we have many community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park features its own student council that organizes and creates these events to guarantee a lively and dynamic student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our largely international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, alongside our yearly Chinese New Year celebration at the beginning of the year, where everyone came together to make dumplings and couplets welcoming the new lunar year. There have also been community-organized festivities celebrating global events (like Carnival) or simply for the enjoyment of celebrating.
However, my favorite campus activity must be the weekly pub quiz, arranged by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the pub quiz losers are responsible for the next one, and I can proudly assert that I hold the record for the most pub quizzes set this year. Despite my numerous defeats in pub quizzes due to my lackluster general trivia knowledge, there’s always enjoyable moments shared with great company and a nice pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Home Away from Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively bustle of urban life (e.g., the train station and the closest village), existence at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or deficient. Besides the numerous events and activities, we enjoy a friendly and inviting community of students from diverse backgrounds. We all cherish nature, our stunning campus surroundings, and, most importantly, each other’s company. We’re a close-knit group that takes pleasure in stargazing in the winter chill on the open field next to our pub, observing the birds and mammals that visit our window sills,