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    Social Enterprise SCRAM! Wildlife Control Offsets Ohio Wildlife Center’s Operating Expenses by 25 Percent

    Each month, the Center for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) publishes an article about a local social enterprise, showcasing its social impact within a specific focus area. April’s focus is social impact related to environmental sustainability. Below this article, please view a list of all local social enterprises committed to this focus area.

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    More than 30 years ago, Ohio Wildlife Center founder and veterinarian Dr. Burton recognized a need to rehabilitate injured wildlife species. Today, the Ohio Wildlife Center treats as many as 5,000 animals annually.

    As development displaces many species from their natural habitats, Ohio’s wildlife is taking up make-shift residence in chimneys, under porches, sheds and other locations. Adam Turpen is Director of SCRAM! (Suburban Commercial and Residential Animal Management) Wildlife Control, Ohio Wildlife Center’s social enterprise that helps homeowners, businesses and municipalities manage wildlife populations humanely through a variety of non-lethal exclusion strategies.Scram1

    “What sets SCRAM! apart from alternative pest removal services is that each team member has a degree in wildlife or biology, which allows them to understand each circumstance from a broader ecological perspective,” says Turpen. “We educate our clients on the basic needs of animals: food, shelter and water. With the simple manipulation—addition or removal of these elements—species will increase or decrease their presence accordingly.”

    While the Ohio Wildlife Center measures its impact by the number of animals that have been rehabilitated and released, SCRAM! measures its impact based on the number of positive interactions between wildlife and humans throughout Central Ohio. And SCRAM!’s trap-free, non-lethal approach to pest removal is paying off. SCRAM! currently generates sales to offset approximately 25 percent of Ohio Wildlife’s operating expenses.

    “The revenue generated by SCRAM!’s services allows us to further our mission by increasing the number of animals we treat and release,” Turpen says. “As we continue to increase awareness of our services throughout Franklin and the six surrounding counties, SCRAM!’s subsequent growth will allow us to build additional wildlife rehabilitation centers in other major metro areas throughout Ohio.”

    SCRAM!’s long-term partnerships, including the City of Dublin, Columbus Metro Parks and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, have contributed to the sustainability of this social enterprise. You may have witnessed SCRAM!’s border collies, Blaze and Quik, working alongside team members to discourage geese populations from nesting near office locations, where they, if left to their own devices, could become territorial and display aggressive behavior.

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    The Ohio Wildlife Center offers several summer camp programs, photography walks and the organization can provide speakers and educational programs for your organization. Several animals that would not survive if released, including several owls, are on display at the Center for visitors to view. The Ohio Wildlife Center is also in the midst of constructing a large barn that will soon be available for individuals and organizations to rent for events.

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    Central Ohio’s social enterprises focused on environmental sustainability

    The Center for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) maintains a directory of social enterprises throughout Central Ohio. We are in the process of developing at-a-glance profiles for each social enterprise, intended to inform consumers, funders, impact investors and individual donors of investment-worthy causes. Here are the social enterprises we’ve identified to date, whose focus is environmental sustainability. We encourage you to learn more, consider supporting these organizations, or inform us of additional social enterprises that share this focus.

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