Objectives In response to issues such as "tokenistic participation" and "insufficient efficacy" in the practice of public participation in natural protected areas, this study explores pathways to enhance participation effectiveness, specifically by constructing a stratified public participation system to achieve a transition from " formal participation" to "substantive impact."

Methods By reviewing the research context of public participation from theoretical development to institutional construction, and combining practical dilemmas such as the lack of participation autonomy and the marginalization of discourse power, the study analyzes the underlying reasons for the disconnection between institutional design and operational effectiveness. On this basis, drawing upon stakeholder theory, informal group leadership mechanisms, and administrative cost-benefit analysis methods, the paper demonstrates the stratified characteristics of the public in terms of interest relevance, capacity structure, and impact effects. Accordingly, participants are categorized into four types: the general public and the core public, and establishes a three-tier participation framework.

Results By matching different types of subjects with differentiated participation tiers—such as information acquisition and opinion expression, information feedback, collaborative decision-making, agenda-setting, as well as supervision and accountability-this system can ensure the broadness of participation while focusing on responding to core stakeholder concerns. It also leverages the knowledge-bridging role of specialized participants, relies on group leaders to foster consensus, and achieve effective checks and balances, thereby systematically enhancing the overall efficacy of public participation.

Conclusions Based on public heterogeneity, the stratified public participation system effectively bridges the gap between institutional design and practical implementation through the typological classification of participating subjects and the structural adaptation of participation methods. It achieves an optimal balance between the broadness and effectiveness of participation, providing institutional support for the scientific nature, democracy, and acceptability of decision-making in natural protected areas, and promotes the continuous improvement of the modern environmental governance system.