On subalpine wood pastures the influence of grazing cattle on the condition of young trees (0.3 to 2.5 m height) was assessed. During the grazing period in summer 2000, herbage selection, intake and digestibility were studied. The cattle damaged only a low percentage of the young trees and selected herbage of constant digestibility throughout the grazing periods. These first results suggest that cattle may graze subalpine conifer wood pastures as additional herbage source without detrimental effects on young trees (>0.3m height).