This study evaluated how the amount of bark (0, 33, 66, and 100%) on three willow cultivars and sugar maple impact the output of hot water extraction in terms of mass removal and extract composition, as well as its influence on the heating value, ash and elemental content. Hot water extraction is a pretreatment that has been shown to improve the quality of chipped material while producing a marketable stream of byproducts. Willow biomass can be combined with forest biomass, but willow often has a higher proportion of bark that creates challenges because it increases the ash content and decreases the melting point. Willow has a high net energy ratio (energy produced/ fossil fuel energy consumed), low greenhouse gas footprint and high carbohydrate production potential. Shrub willows are being developed as a short rotation woody crop (SRWC) that can grow on marginal agricultural land. 3Department of Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, United States.2Vicerrectoría de Investigación y Postgrado - Centro del Secano, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.1Department of Forest and Natural Resources Management, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, NY, United States.