Composed by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When the majority of Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they imagine a vibrant, enchanting, and green campus rich with wildlife and vegetation not frequently found in other locations such as South Kensington or White City. In many respects, they are correct – each depiction of Silwood Park holds true!
As a voice for this lesser-known segment of Imperial, I wish to emphasize the student experience, activities, and community at our natural parkland campus located in Ascot, Berkshire.
A glimpse into Silwood Park
Silwood Park serves as Imperial’s outdoor research facility, covering 77 hectares and showcasing habitats like freshwater streams, ponds, an “ancient” forest, and open meadows. A quick inquiry on iNaturalist, an application for charting and sharing biodiversity observations globally among a network of naturalists, indicates that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus, and an additional exploration on eBird reveals that 111 bird species have been documented to date.
Moreover, Silwood Park is the site of numerous long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being among the more prominent studies undertaken here.
Life as a student at Silwood Park
The campus primarily serves postgraduate students focused on ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. Many of us engage in various clubs based at Silwood Park. Noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – tending to the chickens located behind our residence halls
- Book Club – regularly conversing about books of interest
- Gardening Club – overseeing the plots in our community garden
- Conservation Club – coordinating nature hikes and conservation-themed activities for Silwood Park students.
As part of the broader Imperial student community, many of us also take part in activities from clubs based in South Kensington!
Unformally, we have groups participating in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), based either at the multi-use games arena (MUGA) on campus or in indoor sports centers in neighboring towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
Aside from club activities and classes, we enjoy a variety of community-led events on campus. Silwood Park has its own student council that organizes and facilitates such happenings, guaranteeing a lively and engaging student life! Recently, we’ve hosted the Silwood language exchange, where our diverse international community shared languages and cultures over a few weeks, and our annual Chinese New Year celebration, where everyone prepared dumplings and couplets to usher in the new lunar year. We’ve also seen community-hosted parties celebrating global occasions (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of socializing.
My favorite campus activity is the weekly pub quiz, managed by our student community. It’s a Silwood tradition that the losers of the quiz set the next one, and I can proudly declare the highest number of pub quizzes organized this year. Despite losing numerous quizzes due to my limited general trivia knowledge, there’s always plenty of enjoyment with great company and a refreshing pint of beer.
Silwood Park: my home beyond home
Even though it’s a 30-minute stroll from lively civilization (e.g., the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never seemed dull or deficient. In addition to countless events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community of students from all corners of the globe. We all cherish nature, our stunning campus grounds, and most importantly, each other’s companionship. We are a tight-knit community that relishes stargazing in the chilly winter on the open field beside our bar, observing birds and mammals outside our windows, and spending time among fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook with my close friend from India