Paige Belfry: Co-owner, ISA Certified Arborist, Horticulturist
Paige grew up in the Pacific Northwest and found her roots in Idaho after hiking 1000 miles on the Idaho Centennial Trail in 2011. She spent summers interning with the Rhododendron Species Botanic Garden through college and earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in biology at Washington State University. Over the next decade, Paige studied trees intensively and began professionally climbing trees to diagnose their issues and perform work on them. She became an ISA Certified Arborist and is a certified climber through Arboriculture Canada. Paige has earned her Tree Risk Assessment Qualification through the International Society of Arboriculture, and currently serves as a board member on Sandpoint’s Urban Forestry Commission. Paige enjoys teaching about conscious tree care, and offers instruction on site with clients and teaches tree care classes for the local community. Paige is a mom to two beautiful children (ages 3 and 1). When she’s not in the trees, Paige can be found backpacking, paddling, dancing, and enjoying the good company of friends and family.
Nick Belfry: Co-owner, Soil Specialist, Ground Crew
Nick grew up in Southeast Alaska surrounded by trees. His parents both hold forestry degrees and he learned about plant and tree identification and life cycles from a very early age. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in zoology at Oregon State University. He has studied soil science as a graduate student at the same institution. Working as a log scaler for more than 5 years, Nick became intimately acquainted with disease in trees: how it grows, how it affects the tree, and how to recognize signs of interior rot on the outside of the tree. In 2018, he switched from the timber industry to begin a career in tree and plant care. He applies his scientific background and experience as a scaler to take a holistic view of plant and tree health. In addition to being a skilled horticulturalist, Nick is Ooh La La Arboriculture’s soil specialist and expert ground crew during climbing operations. In his spare time, Nick enjoys doing pretty much anything outdoors, especially backpacking, mountain biking, and amateur mycology.
Cedar Belfry: Administrative Assistant
Cedar’s been on our team nearly four years already, how time flies! Since joining the team, Cedar has kept us constantly busy and has motivated us to keep the operation humming along. You might be lucky enough to meet her as she hands you a business card at your on site consultation. She’s spent many long hours on our job sites and is full of curiosities about the natural world, how trees work, and the bugs she captures. After so much time around the trees, we’re sure she’ll be pruning like a champ in no time. Cedar’s leisure activities include anything silly, dancing, making art, composing songs, and spending time with friends.
Bjorn Belfry: The Boss
As ‘The Boss’ Bjorn decides when we eat, drink, and sleep. He can be a harsh taskmaster, but we love him to pieces all the same. Bjorn can be hard to spot on the job site because his discerning eye operates best from a distance, on the ground, inside a tiny tent, with his eyes closed. Bjorn’s leisure activities include climbing anything he can find, smiling profusely, crawling away deviously at a running pace, growling, and keeping his parents awake at night.
Taileypo: Corporate Executive
Taileypo has been training for an executive position his whole life. He is a master of quiet contemplation and uses his commanding demeanor to lead the rest of the crew. His job is vitally important. Taileypo stays in our office to make sure that it stays warm and also to keep our stick retrieval specialist in line while the rest of the crew is hard at work on the job site. Like any executive, his position is full of stress and has very few benefits. We’re fortunate to have a strong leader like him. His free time is spent attacking the laundry hamper and diaper liners, and romping around at 2am.
Roux: Ground Crew, Stick Retrieval Specialist (Hall of Fame)
Roux was our eldest team mate (in dog years, he reached 112!) but he still carried out his duties with passion and vigor. Roux studied sticks from all over the northwest, including Oregon, Washington, Alaska, and of course Idaho. In the field of stick-ology, Roux was recognized as the preeminent expert in our region. Our team benefited from his ability to carefully select and retrieve the cut limbs (sticks) so that a perfectly clean landscape was left behind. For Roux, stick retrieval was a labor of love, a passion project that he pursued even in his off hours. His other hobbies included napping, walking, and retrieving tennis balls.
OOH LA LA Arboriculture & Fine Pruning 