Volunteer Spotlight

A heartfelt THANK YOU to all our volunteers!

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT:  CHUAN-CHU CHOU

Have you seen Chuan-Chu in the park? He is there every morning and the birds know it.

Yes, Friends of Brightwood Park have their very own Bird Whisperer!

He can recognize and even call the birds. They are waiting for him.

We are so lucky to have Chuan-Chu serving on our Board of Directors who just so happens to be a volunteer ranger and resident photographer for the park.

Most of the beautiful pictures on our
website reflect his work.

​Check them out and you will be amazed.
Chuan-Chu came to this country from Taiwan in 1980 and received a PhD in molecular biology.

He helped to develop two very important drugs in the market today (Cinqair for asthma and Carvykti for multiple myeloma).

However, his interest in biology went beyond the laboratory and into the community. He has an avid interest in exploring nature and researches and records plants, animals, insects, fungi, and lichens which bring him much fulfillment.

Brightwood Park has provided a laboratory for him to observe and explore nature. He is a man of faith who deeply appreciates our nature preserve.  “As a God-believer, soaking myself in the wonderful park makes me feel like living in the Garden of Eden.”

Thank you, Chuan-Chu, for sharing your photography with all of us and letting us in on the wonders of nature that you so closely observe!

Some Favorite Pictures

January 2026

Volunteer Spotlight:  Phil Round

If you'd to help out with the FOBP invasive volunteers, please send us a note!
Did someone say that weeding can be fun?! Well, maybe not fun, but it can be rewarding.
The Friends of Brightwood Park invasive species volunteers are out in force on Wednesday mornings, and with Phil Round as their dedicated leader, the park is looking much healthier.
Phil moved to Westfield in 1985 and lives within walking distance of Brightwood Park. With his background in agriculture, Phil realized that the park’s native species were rapidly being outcompeted by non-native plants. The two main culprits—Japanese knotweed, which was so dense it blocked the view of the pond from the parking lot, and Wisteria, which was destroying mature trees in large areas of the forest and opening significant gaps in the forest canopy. Both species spread rapidly, overtaking native plants, causing significant problems in the park.
Phil already had experience in managing invasive plants from his volunteer work at Watchung Reservation and at the Great Swamp. Alarmed with the situation he saw at Brightwood, he approached the Town of Westfield to begin a task force at Brightwood Park.  When he showed people the damage from all the invasive plants, many of them showed up to help. The first efforts were to cut down the Knotweed around the parking lot. After that event and with the support of the town and DPW, the Westfield Park Invasive Plant Strikeforce was formed.

Volunteer Spotlight:  Bianca Wright

Picture
Bianca Wright, Landscape Architect
Friends of Brightwood Park is a grass roots volunteer organization on a mission to restore the park and to educate about the environmental benefits of biodiversity.  The work we do would not be possible but for the generous contributions of time and talents by our many volunteers. In appreciation, we offer a spotlight on volunteers in the park.  This edition:  Bianca Wright.
Bianca Wright has volunteered her time and talents to restore Brightwood Park for the past 4 years.  A landscape architect, she has shared her expertise and knowledge on a variety of issues in the park.  She has guided FOBP on the repopulation of native plants in the park, planned and executed our pollinator gardens, researched erosion solutions, and worked with Rutgers extension on protection of saplings and other high value plants.  She has tirelessly weeded, seeded, and watered.  Significantly, she has led environmental tours and taught native plant gardening to promote a healthy environment both in and outside of the park's borders.  With heartfelt thanks, we salute Bianca's dedication to Westfield's nature preserve and beyond.