Unlike natural causes such as erosion by wind and water, Cheltenham Badlands was sparked by human intervention.
The impressive landscape was originally formed at the base of an ancient sea over 400 million years ago.
Eventually, erosion laid bare the shale underneath.
The red color is brought on by the oxidization of iron when it gets exposed to oxygen and water.
The faint green streaks is due to ground water percolation changing the red iron oxide into green iron oxide.
In 2015, the badlands site was fenced off and closed to the public.
