I remember reading something like that years decades ago about Amazon rainforest or in general any coastal forests. They help pump or transfer water inland. Most rains fall within a few km of a coast. It is forests that recycle the water and transpire to restore moisture for rains further inland. So, cutting coastal forests is far more damaging as it disturbs entire water cycle of much much broader geography.

It is nice to final evidence of such long held traditional knowledge linking trees with rains.