Most of the agricultural land lies on former coal mining land.s  The main roads in the vicinity of Lick Run are Pennsylvania Route 879 and Interstate 80. There are also a number of township roads in the watershed. Moshannon State Forest occupies much of the upper part of the watershed of Lick Run. Martin Nichols constructed a sawmill on Lick Run in 1845. Another mill, known as Irvin's Mill, was built on the stream by Frederick P. Hurxthal. The Lick Run School was later established near the mill. On May 6, 1854, the Lick Run and Sinnemahoning Turnpike Company was incorporated. Its purpose was to construct a road between Lick Run and Bennett Branch Sinnemahoning Creek. Coal mining began in the watershed of Lick Run in the early 1800s and continues into the 21st century. Most of the mining activity has been surface mining, although there has been some deep mining as well. Large amounts of logging were also done in the late 19th century and early 20th century. Lick Run is designated as a high-quality coldwater fishery. In 1931, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission stated that the stream was "one of the best streams in this section of Clearfield County". In 1983, the Susquehanna River Basin Commission did a biological survey of the stream, finding that there were no fish there and only one species of macroinvertebrate – a crayfish. Trout have historically been stocked on Lick Run. In 1957, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission suggested no longer stocking trout on the stream below Fork Run. In 1985, trout stocking on the creek stopped altogether. Brook trout inhabit the stream downstream of the mouth of the tributary Doctors Fork. Near Panther Rocks Camp, the land in the vicinity of Lick Run is fairly open, with bog-like sphagnum seeps. Further downstream, a riparian buffer begins to develop, and remains highly intact for almost all of the stream's length. Still further downstream, pools of woody debris begin forming in the stream. Filamentous green algae was observed on the stream at Panther Rocks in May 2005. A wetland known as the SB Elliot Cabins Wetland is located at the headwaters of Lick Run. The Clearfield County Natural Heritage Inventory lists it as a significant site on the county level. Lick Run has a low level of biodiversity at Panther Rocks. In a 2004 benthic macroinvertebrate survey, only two alderfly larvae and one crayfish were observed here.