Huge "regreening" efforts in China over the past few decades have activated the country's water cycle and moved water in ways that scientists are just now starting to understand.
But also to your actual point, basically nothing done with the water cycle -and ecosystem restoration as a part - does exactly what’s intended. Especially with regards to climate change. There are so many factors affecting the local and global climate that it almost always winds up being an exercise in “adaptive management”; or basically just taking the plunge in the best direction at the time and evaluating the impacts, then adjusting accordingly.
For instance: if the concern is increased evapotranspiration (ET) due to reforestation, what is the comparison state? Because while reforestation will increase ET, it will also alter the soil structure, typically making it more permeable and adding organic matter (thus increasing soil moisture capacity).
But everything is related, so that’s where it’s important to observe and adapt as needed.
But also to your actual point, basically nothing done with the water cycle -and ecosystem restoration as a part - does exactly what’s intended. Especially with regards to climate change. There are so many factors affecting the local and global climate that it almost always winds up being an exercise in “adaptive management”; or basically just taking the plunge in the best direction at the time and evaluating the impacts, then adjusting accordingly.
For instance: if the concern is increased evapotranspiration (ET) due to reforestation, what is the comparison state? Because while reforestation will increase ET, it will also alter the soil structure, typically making it more permeable and adding organic matter (thus increasing soil moisture capacity).
But everything is related, so that’s where it’s important to observe and adapt as needed.