Written by Clarence (Singapore), MSc Living Planet with Ecology, Evolution and Conservation
When many Imperial students picture Silwood Park, they see a lush, enchanting, and green campus filled with wildlife and plants seldom found at our other locations like South Kensington or White City. In several respects, they are right – every vision of Silwood Park is spot on!
As a member of this lesser-known section of Imperial, I wish to showcase the student experience, activities, and community within our natural parkland campus in Ascot, Berkshire.
Discovering Silwood Park
Silwood Park acts as Imperial’s outdoor laboratory, covering 77 hectares and comprising habitats such as freshwater streams, lakes, an “ancient” woodland, and open meadows. A brief search on iNaturalist, an app for cataloging and sharing biodiversity observations globally with a network of naturalists, shows that 1,436 species of plants, animals, and fungi have been recorded on campus. Moreover, a query on eBird indicates that 111 bird species have been noted on campus thus far.
Remarkably, Silwood Park is also home to various long-term field research initiatives, with the Nash’s Field Experiment and the Blue Tit Project being two of the more prominent studies carried out on-site.
Life for Students at Silwood Park
The campus mainly accommodates postgraduate students focused on ecology, conservation, and evolutionary studies. We actively participate in several clubs headquartered at Silwood Park. Noteworthy examples include:
- Chicken Club – taking care of the chickens raised behind our dormitories
- Book Club – meeting regularly to explore books of interest
- Gardening Club – tending to the plots in our community garden
- Conservation Club – arranging nature walks and conservation activities for students on Silwood Park Campus.
As part of the broader Imperial student body, many of us also engage in the activities of clubs based in South Kensington!
Informally, we have clubs that partake in sports such as badminton, basketball, and pickleball (my personal favorite!), organized either on the multi-use games area (MUGA) on campus or at indoor sports facilities in nearby towns like Bracknell or Ascot.
In addition to club activities and classes, we host various community-driven events on campus. Silwood Park boasts its own student council that organizes and facilitates such activities to promote a lively and enjoyable student experience! Recently, we held the Silwood language exchange, where our international community shared languages and cultures over several weeks, and we welcomed the new lunar year by making dumplings and couplets for Chinese New Year. We’ve also hosted community-organized celebrations for global events (like Carnival) or simply for the joy of gathering.
My favorite event on campus, though, is the weekly pub quiz arranged by our student community. It’s a part of Silwood culture that the quiz losers arrange the next one, and I can proudly say I have set the most quizzes this year. Although I have lost many quizzes due to my limited general knowledge, there’s always great enjoyment with wonderful company and a good pint of beer.
Silwood Park: My Second Home
Even though it’s a 30-minute walk from the lively atmosphere of civilization (e.g., the train station and the closest village), life at Silwood Park has never felt dull or wanting. Alongside countless events and activities, we have a friendly and inviting community of students from all over the globe. We all share a love for nature, our stunning campus grounds, and, more importantly, each other’s companionship. We are a close-knit group that enjoys stargazing in the winter chill on the open field next to our bar, watching the birds and mammals that visit our room windows, and spending time with fellow nature enthusiasts.
Most evenings, I cook with my dear friend from India.