County governments trying to slow shoreline development around the lakes of northern Wisconsin are using their local powers to good advantage, sometimes taking tougher protective action than the state could enact, a state resource official says.

Two of every three lakes in the northern part of the state that were undeveloped in the 1960s now have lakeshore housing or other types of development, according to the state Department of Natural Resources.  Lakes that were developed in the 1960s often have nine times more development today, the agency said.

But county officials have been doing a good job of using zoning and enforcement efforts to protect the lakeshore, DNR shoreline management specialist Toni Herkert said.

"They are light years ahead of where the state is.  To pass anything as restrictive as what some of the counties have would be very difficult to do on a statewide level because the political climate isn't there," Herkert said.

Still, some people think the counties should be doing more, including members of Douglas County's lake associations who are joining together to push for protection of the county's 431 lakes.

"We just want reasonable development," said Jim Heim, who will convene the organizational meeting of the Douglas County Association of Lakes and Streams in April.  "That can be accomplished without sacrificing the environment."

The group is not anti-development, said Fred Anderson, who lives on Whitefish Lake.

But the groups are supporting stricter shoreline zoning regulations and more enforcement of existing rules, those governing construction and remodeling and those covering septic systems.

Douglas County Zoning Administrator William Flaherty said the county could be doing a better job, but there isn't enough staff.  The County Board has authorized hiring a third zoning technician to conduct inspections.

David Paddock, a member of the Douglas County lake group, said he has seen Whitefish Lake become more developed over the 50 years he has been there.  The lake has remained clean, but Paddock said he is concerned for the future.

"If we don't start doing something, our lake is going to be just like the lakes in southern and middle Wisconsin that are becoming dead," said Paddock, who is also chairman of the Whitefish Lake Property Owners Association's environmental concern task force.