Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When students from Imperial picture Silwood Park, they see a vibrant, enchanting, and verdant campus bustling with distinct wildlife and plants that don’t resemble those found at other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are right – every portrayal of Silwood Park rings true!
As a member of this lesser-known Imperial community, I wish to shine a light on the student experience, activities, and camaraderie within our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Welcome to Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and showcasing ecosystems such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” forest, and expansive grasslands. A simple inquiry on iNaturalist, an application for recording and sharing global biodiversity observations among a community of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on our campus. Additionally, a check on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been noted on-site thus far.
Notably, Silwood Park is the backdrop for numerous long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the better-known endeavors conducted here.
Campus Life at Silwood Park
The campus predominantly welcomes postgraduate scholars engaging in ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Most of us are involved in various clubs situated at Silwood Park, including:
- Chicken Club – tending to chickens raised behind our dormitories
- Book Club – having regular discussions about intriguing books
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature walks and conservation projects for students at Silwood Park.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also join in on activities from clubs located in South Kensington!
Casually, we have clubs that partake in sports like badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), utilizing either the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or indoor sports venues in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club initiatives and classes, we host numerous community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council, which organizes and manages these activities to guarantee a lively and stimulating student environment! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, during which our predominantly international community exchanged languages and cultures over several weeks, along with our annual Chinese New Year celebration, where everyone prepared dumplings and couplets to greet the new lunar year. We’ve also experienced community-organized parties to celebrate global happenings (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of festivities.
My most cherished campus event is the weekly pub quiz, arranged by our student body. It’s part of Silwood tradition that the quiz losers design the next one, and I can proudly declare the most quizzes set this year. Even though I’ve lost many quizzes due to my lack of trivia knowledge, there’s always great enjoyment with good friends and a nice pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Although it’s a 30-minute stroll from the lively atmosphere of civilization (such as the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never been dull or lacking in excitement. In addition to the myriad of events and activities, we share a friendly and inviting community of students from various parts of the world. We all appreciate nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, more importantly, each other’s company. We’re a close community that relishes stargazing in the winter chill on the open field beside our bar, observing birds and mammals outside our windows, and spending quality time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I prepare meals with my dear friend from India, who shares my love for