"Sentimentality about nature denatures everything it touches"

This quote by Jane Jacobs is a caution versus the dangers of sentimentality when it concerns nature. She is recommending that when we become too nostalgic about nature, we can forget its true worth and function. We can become so focused on the beauty and emotion of nature that we forget to appreciate its practical and utilitarian elements. This can result in a denaturing of nature, where we forget to regard and protect it, and rather use it for our own self-centered purposes. Jacobs is alerting us to be mindful of our sentimentality and to bear in mind that nature is more than just a pretty backdrop for our lives. We need to appreciate and protect it, and utilize it in a way that is advantageous to both ourselves and the environment.