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Auckland's volcanic cones are expected to be earmarked as potential World Heritage sites this week as New Zealand prepares to host its first World Heritage Committee meeting.
From this weekend, Christchurch will play host to the 31st session of the global committee which encourages the preservation of the world's most outstanding cultural and natural heritage sites.
About 800 international delegates are expected to attend.
The session will be chaired by Tumu te Heuheu, New Zealand's World Heritage representative for the past decade.
While some of the 21 nations involved will be putting forward nominations for sites to be classified with prestigious World Heritage status, New Zealand will only be putting forward a tentative list of sites that could in future be nominated for that status.
Auckland's 50 volcanic cones were to be announced earlier this month on a list of those potential sites to be submitted, but issues around a Treaty of Waitangi Settlement and lack of consultation meant the announcement had to be put on hold.
Three of the cones - Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill), Puketapapa (Mt Roskill) and Maungawhau (Mt Eden) - are included in Ngati Whatua's proposed $10 million settlement with the Crown.
The Herald understands the issues have now been resolved.
New Zealand's World Heritage manager Shannon Coghlan said people had been under the false impression that the cones were going to be named as full World Heritage sites.
"Perhaps we need to convey that information a little bit better."
An announcement on the potential sites, including the volcanic cones, was imminent, she said. Conservation Minister Chris Carter is to make the announcement before the Christchurch meeting.
Ms Coghlan said it would take between 18 months and three years to prepare applications for potential sites to become full heritage sites.
New Zealand currently has three World Heritage sites - Tongariro National Park, South West New Zealand World Heritage Area and the Sub-Antarctic Islands.
Around the world, landmarks such as the Great Barrier Reef, Taj Mahal, the Great Wall of China, Westminster Abbey and Grand Canyon National Park are listed.
The closest site up for World Heritage status at the Christchurch meeting will be the Sydney Opera House.
Japan is to seek recognition for Mt Fuji, its sacred landmark.
Ms Coghlan said the meeting in Christchurch would also consider sites to be classified as "in danger", such as the Old City of Jerusalem and its walls.
Sites may also lose World Heritage status for the first time at the Christchurch meeting, Ms Coghlan said.
