Starting with the concept of MUCK as the fuel for time travel, a team of Botanists were sent back in time to bring back extinct native plant species. The project and the Banyan Center itself were developed around the idea of the importance of historical aspects in modern time and the opportunity to become self-sufficient in food by learning about a variety of plant species. The Banyan Center acts a research center for botanists and students, as well as an educational plant nursery for the public.