The term “sustainability” has been around for a long time and many definitions of the term are in use today. The concept has evolved over the years from meaning merely regeneration of trees, to a definition that considers all functions of the forest as being essential. However, valid doubt exists as to whether we could ever gather the extensive information needed to make accurate judgements about socioeconomic sustainability. The danger in too general a use of the concept is that it will become a blanket which covers underlying goals that are not compatible. Applied to forests, sustainability must include a consideration of preservation of genetic information to maximize the system's ability to respond to change.