Edward Norton and Maasai Warriors Ran 2009 New York Marathon for Kenyan Conservation

According to Times of India World, in November 2009, actor Edward Norton participated in the New York City Marathon alongside a team of Maasai warriors, including MWCT president Samson Parashina. The initiative aimed to secure international funding and visibility for the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust (MWCT), an organization dedicated to protecting approximately 280,000 acres of land within Kenya’s Chyulu Hills and the broader Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem.

According to the trust, the project focuses on a conservation model that links environmental protection with local economic benefits. The initiative originated from the work of Italian conservationists Luca Belpietro and Antonella Bonomi, who founded the Campi ya Kanzi ecolodge near Mount Kilimanjaro. The lodge was designed to channel tourism revenue to the local Maasai community, providing residents with a financial stake in preserving the surrounding natural resources. Four years after establishing the lodge, the founders created the MWCT to manage broader regional efforts, including wildlife monitoring, rangeland restoration, and community ranger operations.

Norton, who had previously visited the region and stayed at Campi ya Kanzi, eventually served as president of the U.S. board for the trust. Seeking a platform to expand funding beyond the limitations of local tourism, Norton utilized the New York City Marathon to highlight the community-based approach. The campaign also featured involvement from other public figures, including singer Alanis Morissette and illusionist David Blaine.

Media reports at the time noted the cultural and practical transitions for the Maasai runners, who shifted from training on traditional paths in rural Kenya to navigating the urban environment of Manhattan and Central Park. The effort sought to demonstrate that conservation could serve as a sustainable economic tool for the Maasai people, rather than an outside restriction. The trust continues to manage the 280,000-acre landscape, which includes vital water sources, migration corridors, and forests, through a partnership that integrates professional conservationists with the local community.