I highly doubt temperate or even tropical forest canopies will prevent water from reaching ground level. Gravity does not work that way.
Trees shade soil reducing evaporation levels. Trees also significantly reduce surface winds further reducing evaporation. Yes trees do potentially use more water which is exactly what you want, what is the purpose of full aquifers flowing into the sea ?
In Australia removal of trees has lead to increased salinity levels affecting 2 Million hectares (In WA alone) of arable land degrading vast swathes of it rendering it unusable for both modern agriculture and pre-agricultural "natural" use. This is precisely because the trees kept the high-salinity water table below surface root levels.
Trees shade soil reducing evaporation levels. Trees also significantly reduce surface winds further reducing evaporation. Yes trees do potentially use more water which is exactly what you want, what is the purpose of full aquifers flowing into the sea ?
In Australia removal of trees has lead to increased salinity levels affecting 2 Million hectares (In WA alone) of arable land degrading vast swathes of it rendering it unusable for both modern agriculture and pre-agricultural "natural" use. This is precisely because the trees kept the high-salinity water table below surface root levels.