Authored by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet specializing in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they imagine a verdant, enigmatic, and green campus filled with wildlife and flora rarely found at other campuses such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – every portrayal of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this lesser-known segment of Imperial, I wish to shed light on the student experience, activities, and community within our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
Introduction to Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and showcasing ecosystems like freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and expansive meadows. A brief inquiry on iNaturalist, an application for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations worldwide among a network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Furthermore, a search on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been documented so far on campus.
More intriguingly, Silwood Park also hosts numerous long-term field research initiatives, with Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more recognized studies conducted on-site.
Student Experience at Silwood Park
The campus primarily accommodates postgraduate students keen on projects related to ecology, conservation, and evolution. Many of us are engaged in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Some prominent examples include:
- Chicken Club – responsible for caring for the chickens raised behind our residence halls
- Book Club – convening regularly to discuss books from their reading lists
- Gardening Club – overseeing the allotments within our community garden
- Conservation Club – arranging nature walks and conservation-focused activities for students at Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also join and actively participate in events hosted by clubs located in South Kensington!
Additionally, we have informal clubs that partake in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), which take place either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or in indoor sports facilities found in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Beyond club activities and classes, we hold numerous community-led events on campus. Silwood Park has its dedicated student council that organizes and supports such happenings to foster a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our predominantly international community united to share languages and cultures over several weeks. Our annual Chinese New Year celebration took place at the beginning of the year, where everyone came together to make dumplings and couplets to welcome the new lunar year. We’ve also organized community parties celebrating global events (like Carnival) or simply enjoying gatherings for the joy of celebration.
However, my favorite campus event has to be the weekly pub quiz, hosted by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the losing team of the pub quiz must set the next one, and I can proudly state that I’ve set the highest number of pub quizzes this year. Despite losing numerous quizzes due to my insufficient general trivia expertise, there’s always great enjoyment to be found in good company and a fine pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Home Away from Home
Even with a 30-minute walk separating us from the bustling vibes of civilization (e.g., the train station and the nearest village), life at Silwood Park has never been dull or uninteresting. In addition to the many events and activities, we foster a friendly and inclusive community made up of students from around the globe. We all have a passion for nature, cherish our