"Moreover, if you can look around at nature and the first word that pops into your head by way of response is “love,” you’re probably confused about what you’re seeing or about the meaning of words. Either that or you’re being maudlin." I hope you recognize those words. Reading them, I simply cannot discard the possibility that your view of nature is tinted by some personal preference / bias, because when I look at nature I do see love. Even in phenomena you may label as source of horror.

As for the transformation of wilderness -- is it not more fitting to simply call it transformation of surroundings? That's something what living organisms do. Nothing new under the sun. We have just more powerful technology / tools than the rest of animals we know of. There is no fundamental difference between a city and a nesting ground of gorillas or a termite nest. And of course your choice of words that call our surroundings "wilderness" speaks volumes about your relationship with nature.