'afforestable' originates from the verb 'afforest', which comes from the Latin word 'afforestare', where 'ad-' meant 'to' and 'forestare' meant 'to turn into a forest'.

'afforestare' transformed into the Old French word 'afforester', and eventually became the modern English word 'afforest'.

Initially, it meant 'to turn land into a forest', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.