The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay plays a unique role in the effort to protect and restore the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Founded in 1971, the Alliance is the only organization in the region focused on improving the Bay watershed through collaboration and consensus-building. Known as “The Voice of the Bay”, the Alliance is seen the source of unbiased information and as a neutral party on all Bay watershed issues. The Alliance is well respected as the only Chesapeake organization able to bring government, business, academic and non-profit players to the table in order to achieve higher environmental attainment throughout the Bay watershed. This is as true in achieving consensus on government policy, as it is restoring native species to their land or aquatic habitats.