the growing complexity of forest management planning issues requires the best planning tools available. a key question facing forest management planners in ontario is whether sfmm (and its harvest-blocking tool stanley) are the appropriate tools. the most effective method to evaluate sfmm/stanley’s appropriateness is to compare it with a model proven in other jurisdictions. through the study the differences in the approaches to forest management taken by each model became apparent. the differences between optimization and simulation apart, the biggest difference derived from the role the model developers envisioned for their model. sfmm was designed as a tool to develop management strategies in even-aged forests. the scope is over a large area and long timeframe, typical of preparing a forest management plan in the province, this makes allowance for a loss of a certain amount of detail. complan was designed in partnership with industrial clients and emphasizes operational considerations, much more so than sfmm. complan attempts to maintain as much detail as possible. the model also integrates the spatial component into the operational planning, as spatial constraints are identified as a key factor in the operational planning process.