Yonariza is a professor in Forest Resources Management at Universitas Andalas. He obtained his PhD from Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok -Thailand in 2007, his dissertation is about protected area and livelihood of local people in Barisan I Nature Reserve in West Sumatra, Indonesia. He serves as Chair of MS Program in Natural Resources Management Field of Study at Graduate Program of Andalas University. He has published papers in peer review international journals, serves as a reviewer for some journals, published 2 books. He presented papers in several international conferences. He also suvervises doctoral students work at Andalas University.