Liz O’Brien is head of a dynamic Society and Environment Research Group at Forest Research that focuses on understanding the complex relationships between forestry, the environment and society. She is an environmental sociologist and is currently leading a five-year core research programme on the ‘Societal benefits of trees, woods and forests’. Liz was involved in the United Kingdom National Ecosystem Assessment Follow-on work, she is a work package leader in a number of national and international projects and works with researchers internationally including in Germany, Finland, Norway, New Zealand, and Sweden. Her work has focused on the wellbeing benefits of trees in different contexts, the social and cultural values of trees and woods, the benefits of green infrastructure, the barriers to engaging with nature, and the impacts of the Covid pandemic on people’s engagement with nature.