How does restorative tree planting work in the long run? Does it eventually lead to a stable ecosystem, or is it something that ends up less stable or otherwise worse off when compared to a natural recovery?
Something to note is that the point isn't for every tree planted to survive. It's for some of them to survive. Those trees will then grow and drop leaves in fall, improve soil health, provide a canopy layer for vines, shrubs, herbs and animal life, and self-seed new trees to join and replace them. Over time the system as a whole will grow until it reaches stability. Right now they're at step 1, planting, which comes after step 0, deciding to plant.
We should follow their lead and plant native trees wherever we are.