Soe Min Thu examines a specimen of Trichostema bridgesii-orzelli, a recently described native species in the mint family. Photo courtesy Soe Min Thu, CEMML. BY JODI PETERSON
Sitting in the shade of a big mango tree on a warm summer afternoon, sharing the “pure joy” of laughter with brothers and cousins as they eagerly waited for the first ripe fruit to fall. That’s one of Soe Min Thu’s favorite memories of growing up in Myanmar, a country of 55 million between China and India.
Eventually, that mango tree would help set Thu on his career path. “As the years passed, the landscape began to change,” he recalled, “and the old mango trees were cleared to make way for agricultural fields. Large home gardens were turned into tightly packed residential plots.”
The transformation deeply affected Thu. The impacts of deforestation, shifting weather patterns, and poor land management practices, he said, “made me realize how important it is to preserve natural spaces, and inspired me to pursue a career in natural resource management.”
His path most recently led him to CSU’s Center for Environmental Management of Military Lands, which works with the Department of Defense to steward the nation’s 28 million acres of military lands. Since August of 2024, he’s been employed at Avon Park Air Force Range in Florida. He started as a vegetation technician through CEMML’s Early-career Development Program, which offers temporary paid positions at military bases to help recent graduates and new professionals gain experience in fields such as monitoring vegetation and wildlife, using Geographic Information Systems, and surveying historical and archaeological sites.
In Myanmar, Thu had earned a bachelor’s degree in forestry and environmental sciences from the University of Forestry and Environmental Science, Yezin. He spent the next five years working for nonprofits on community-led projects in forestry, policy development, and environmental justice. After being awarded a graduate scholarship, he decided to emigrate to the United States in 2022 to pursue a master’s degree in natural resource management at North Carolina State University.
He graduated in May 2024 and came across CEMML in an online job board. “I found that the organization’s mission and projects closely aligned with my career goals and professional interests,” he said. During his internship at APAFR, he helped monitor rare orchids, locate specimens of a protected plant known as “sweet-scented pigeonwings”, and collect data on species of yellow-eyed grass. Out in the field, he learned about central Florida plant communities and their habitats. And he frequently saw wildlife, especially alligators. “They’re such powerful, ancient creatures and a unique part of the ecosystem,” Thu said. “They remind me of nature’s raw beauty and balance.” Back in the office, he gained new skills in data entry and formatting, spatial analysis, and template structure for efficient data collection.
At 106,000 acres, APAFR is the largest military training site east of the Mississippi. Not only does the installation support crucial military operations, but it also boasts some of Florida’s most intact and ecologically valuable landscapes, with more than 1,200 plant species adapted to the state’s frequent wildfires. Rare species such as the Florida scrub jay, red cockaded woodpecker, Florida panther, Sherman’s fox squirrel, and bonneted bat are also found there.
The installation uses prescribed fires to prevent overgrowth and preserve biodiversity; both help ensure a realistic, high-quality training environment for soldiers. Thu’s work gave installation staff a better understanding of how rare plants respond to burns of varying timing and intensity, so that they can ensure the effectiveness of the prescribed-fire program. Team leader Steve Orzell, a botanist/ecologist at the installation, commented that “Soe Min’s trained eye for detail and willingness to assist on complex analysis has been a real asset in helping us learn more about rare plants. He is an excellent field botanist who has been instrumental in gathering quality field data.”
In May 2025, Thu was promoted to a permanent position at APAFR. He now spends his days working on rare plant data collection, mapping, spatial data analysis, and invasive plant monitoring and control. Thu noted that CEMML’s Early-career Development Program gave him solid field knowledge and experience in scientific research and results-sharing, which he’s eager to keep building on. His career aspiration is to “develop inclusive, science-based strategies that protect ecosystems while also supporting local communities.” He added, “I hope to contribute to sustainable land management practices that are both ecologically sound and socially equitable.”