In the classical understanding of environmental policy, environmental communication is commonly considered a persuasive (or informational or appellative) instrument. As a result, its importance is often underestimated and it is classified as a ‘soft’ instrument, although it has a central function in terms of implementation and acceptance of other instruments. This contribution aims to highlight different levels and elements of communication that are particularly relevant in the context of sports and nature conservation. In this article the potential for optimization in this area will be described succinctly in the form of ten theses, supported by both positive and negative examples from a collection of material on this topic. An analytical framework relates the ten theses to different observation levels and phases of the communicative context. Furthermore, potential spaces for developing strategic options for communication in the field of sports and nature conservation that have been neglected until now.