Consolidating Financial Statements Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2008
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 78,603	$ 349,463	$ 74,964	$ 61,685
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	95,008	82,640
Inventory	121,998	110,035
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Income tax receivable	1,945	21,734
Prepaid and other current assets	46,948	45,314
Total current assets	344,502	609,186
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,503,711	1,137,931
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	461,552	385,304
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	69,219	68,483
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0
OTHER ASSETS	190,364	162,749
TOTAL ASSETS	2,569,348	2,363,653
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	72,873	57,985
Current maturities of long-term debt	28,110	93,057
Accrued payroll and benefits	26,846	25,466
Accrued interest	7,044	6,206
Accrued customer incentives	10,369	9,759
Other current liabilities	23,078	40,975
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	9,931	11,500	10,648
Total current liabilities	178,251	244,948
LONG-TERM DEBT	819,229	675,103
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	80,893	81,660	87,943
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	140,623	66,335
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	27,279	44,025
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	1,246,275	1,112,071
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,323,073	1,251,582	1,146,206	938,937
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	2,569,348	2,363,653
Parent Company [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Income tax receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,238,661	1,251,582
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	204,420
OTHER ASSETS	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	1,443,081	1,251,582
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	8	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	8	0
LONG-TERM DEBT	120,000	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	120,008	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,323,073	1,251,582
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,443,081	1,251,582
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	8,977	29,759	2,895	9,741
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	3	1
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Income tax receivable	4	1,750
Prepaid and other current assets	2,324	1,273
Total current assets	11,308	32,783
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	2,551	2,819
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,490,444	1,392,465
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0
OTHER ASSETS	26,850	26,642
TOTAL ASSETS	1,531,153	1,454,709
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	1,801	823
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	13,810	13,507
Accrued interest	246	12
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	1,859	2,608
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	17,716	16,950
LONG-TERM DEBT	30,000	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	112,904	63,759
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	20,210	19,811
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	111,662	102,607
TOTAL LIABILITIES	292,492	203,127
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,238,661	1,251,582
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,531,153	1,454,709
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Issuer Subsidiary [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	59,976	283,258	67,494	35,834
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Income tax receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	808	842
Total current assets	60,784	284,100
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,156,896	987,381
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	19,073
OTHER ASSETS	6,491	9,351
TOTAL ASSETS	1,243,244	1,280,832
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	10	20
Current maturities of long-term debt	28,110	93,057
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	5,442	5,591
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	33,562	98,668
LONG-TERM DEBT	580,647	675,103
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	614,209	773,771
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	629,035	507,061
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,243,244	1,280,832
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Rayonier TRS Holdings Inc [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	7,398	1,280	2,228	11,248
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	94,399	81,288
Inventory	133,300	123,432
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Income tax receivable	1,941	19,984
Prepaid and other current assets	34,996	38,697
Total current assets	272,034	264,681
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	39,824	37,398
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	456,754	380,577
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	(11,006)	(12,282)
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0
OTHER ASSETS	702,087	664,664
TOTAL ASSETS	1,459,693	1,335,038
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	69,648	55,052
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	10,563	9,590
Accrued interest	739	603
Accrued customer incentives	10,369	9,759
Other current liabilities	13,133	28,354
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	9,931	11,500
Total current liabilities	114,383	114,858
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	80,893	81,660
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	27,719	2,576
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	6,396	23,552
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	73,406	125,011
TOTAL LIABILITIES	302,797	347,657
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,156,896	987,381
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,459,693	1,335,038
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiary All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	2,252	35,166	2,347	4,862
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	606	1,351
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	3,848	4,320
Income tax receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	8,820	4,502
Total current assets	15,526	45,339
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,462,027	1,098,870
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	2,247	1,711
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	80,225	80,765
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0
OTHER ASSETS	6,856	13,153
TOTAL ASSETS	1,566,881	1,239,838
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	1,414	2,090
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	2,473	2,369
Accrued interest	609	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	8,086	10,013
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	12,582	14,472
LONG-TERM DEBT	88,582	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	673	662
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	203,208	(3,751)
TOTAL LIABILITIES	305,045	11,383
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,261,836	1,228,455
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,566,881	1,239,838
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	(11,302)	(13,397)
Intercompany interest receivable	(3,848)	(4,320)
Income tax receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(15,150)	(17,717)
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,860	1,663
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	197
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(3,886,001)	(3,631,428)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(223,493)
OTHER ASSETS	(551,920)	(551,061)
TOTAL ASSETS	(4,674,704)	(4,198,346)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(388,276)	(223,867)
TOTAL LIABILITIES	(388,276)	(223,867)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(4,286,428)	(3,974,479)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(4,674,704)	(4,198,346)
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member]
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accrued payroll and benefits	0
Accrued interest	0
Accrued customer incentives	0
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	58,132	303,746	70,611	50,218
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	90,658	76,193
Inventory	132,323	121,559
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Income tax receivable	1,945	21,734
Prepaid and other current assets	37,421	37,324
Total current assets	320,479	560,556
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	117,243	37,398
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	458,497	382,700
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	801,838	900,436
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0
OTHER ASSETS	710,663	674,610
TOTAL ASSETS	2,408,720	2,555,700
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	65,732	50,737
Current maturities of long-term debt	28,110	93,057
Accrued payroll and benefits	23,070	22,206
Accrued interest	6,427	6,206
Accrued customer incentives	10,369	9,759
Other current liabilities	14,157	29,806
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	9,931	11,500
Total current liabilities	157,796	223,271
LONG-TERM DEBT	610,647	675,103
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	80,893	81,660
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	140,623	66,335
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	25,894	42,728
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	154,206	215,021
TOTAL LIABILITIES	1,170,059	1,304,118
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,238,661	1,251,582
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	2,408,720	2,555,700
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	20,471	45,717	4,353	11,467
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	4,350	6,447
Inventory	977	1,873
Intercompany interest receivable	3,848	4,320
Income tax receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	9,527	7,990
Total current assets	39,173	66,347
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,384,608	1,098,870
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	3,055	2,407
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	69,219	68,483
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0
OTHER ASSETS	31,622	39,200
TOTAL ASSETS	1,527,677	1,275,307
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	7,141	7,248
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	3,776	3,260
Accrued interest	609	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	8,921	11,169
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	20,447	21,677
LONG-TERM DEBT	88,582	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	1,385	1,297
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	214,997	8,846
TOTAL LIABILITIES	325,411	31,820
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,202,266	1,243,487
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,527,677	1,275,307
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	(11,302)	(13,397)
Intercompany interest receivable	(3,848)	(4,320)
Income tax receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(15,150)	(17,717)
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,860	1,663
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	197
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(2,040,499)	(2,152,018)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(204,420)
OTHER ASSETS	(551,921)	(551,061)
TOTAL ASSETS	(2,810,130)	(2,718,936)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(369,203)	(223,867)
TOTAL LIABILITIES	(369,203)	(223,867)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(2,440,927)	(2,495,069)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ (2,810,130)	$ (2,718,936)