Consolidating Financial Statements Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 432,270	$ 495,390	$ 307,299
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(144,522)	(138,449)	(91,667)
Purchase of timberlands	(320,899)	(5,360)	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(42,894)	0	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		0
Intercompany purchase of real estate	0	0
Change in restricted cash	8,323	(8,231)	1,399
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other	11,378	9,384	(2,476)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(488,614)	(142,656)	(92,744)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	460,000	157,000	267,500
Repayment of debt	(499,057)	(96,650)	(307,643)
Dividends paid	(185,272)	(163,673)	(158,218)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	13,451	26,314	11,115
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	5,681	5,411	2,720
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge	0	0	(23,460)
Proceeds from issuance of warrants	0	0	12,506
Debt issuance costs	(2,027)	(561)	(4,678)
Repurchase of common shares	(7,909)	(6,028)	(1,388)
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(215,133)	(78,187)	(201,546)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	617	(48)	270
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(270,860)	274,499	13,279
Balance, beginning of year	349,463	74,964	61,685
Balance, end of year	78,603	349,463	74,964
Parent Company [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	283,409	143,387	135,985
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		0
Intercompany purchase of real estate	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(19,259)	0	0
Other	0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(19,259)	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	120,000	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0	0
Dividends paid	(185,272)	(163,673)	(158,218)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	13,451	26,314	11,115
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			12,506
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	(7,909)	(6,028)	(1,388)
Issuance of intercompany notes	(204,420)
Intercompany distributions	0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(264,150)	(143,387)	(135,985)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0	0
Balance, end of year	0	0	0
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	332,577	177,502	144,143
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(270)	(2,251)	(4)
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		0
Intercompany purchase of real estate	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(99,988)	0	0
Other	69	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(100,189)	(2,251)	(4)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	105,000	0	5,000
Repayment of debt	(75,000)	(5,000)	(20,000)
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	(675)	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	(282,495)	(143,387)	(135,985)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(253,170)	(148,387)	(150,985)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(20,782)	26,864	(6,846)
Balance, beginning of year	29,759	2,895	9,741
Balance, end of year	8,977	29,759	2,895
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Issuer Subsidiary [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	15,000	30,000	38,000
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		0
Intercompany purchase of real estate	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(35,828)	145,975	37,362
Other	0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(35,828)	145,975	37,362
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	75,000	177,500
Repayment of debt	(168,057)	(4,650)	(155,064)
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			(23,460)
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	(676)	(561)	(4,678)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	(18,961)
Intercompany distributions	(14,760)	(30,000)	(38,000)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(202,454)	39,789	(43,702)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(223,282)	215,764	31,660
Balance, beginning of year	283,258	67,494	35,834
Balance, end of year	59,976	283,258	67,494
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Rayonier TRS Holdings Inc [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	138,595	307,384	133,320
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(104,321)	(103,421)	(62,018)
Purchase of timberlands	(24,366)	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(42,894)
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		0
Intercompany purchase of real estate	(12,394)	(41,253)
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other	10,607	11,589	(3,980)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(173,368)	(133,085)	(65,998)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	5,681	5,411	2,720
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	18,961
Intercompany distributions	15,632	(180,610)	(79,332)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	40,274	(175,199)	(76,612)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	617	(48)	270
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	6,118	(948)	(9,020)
Balance, beginning of year	1,280	2,228	11,248
Balance, end of year	7,398	1,280	2,228
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiary All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	276,793	181,333	185,400
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(39,931)	(32,777)	(32,239)
Purchase of timberlands	(296,533)	(5,360)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		(46,700)
Intercompany purchase of real estate	0	0
Change in restricted cash	8,323	(8,231)	1,399
Investment in subsidiaries	0	0	0
Other	702	(2,205)	1,504
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(327,439)	(95,273)	(29,336)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	235,000	82,000	85,000
Repayment of debt	(256,000)	(87,000)	(132,579)
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	(676)	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	204,420
Intercompany distributions	(165,012)	(48,241)	(111,000)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	17,732	(53,241)	(158,579)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(32,914)	32,819	(2,515)
Balance, beginning of year	35,166	2,347	4,862
Balance, end of year	2,252	35,166	2,347
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(614,104)	(344,216)	(329,549)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0	2,594
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		46,700
Intercompany purchase of real estate	12,394	41,253
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	155,075	(145,975)	(37,362)
Other	0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	167,469	(58,022)	(34,768)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	446,635	402,238	364,317
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	446,635	402,238	364,317
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0	0
Balance, end of year	0	0	0
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	425,705	441,039	240,338
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(105,184)	(105,053)	(61,998)
Purchase of timberlands	(102,302)	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(42,894)
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		0
Intercompany purchase of real estate	(12,394)	(41,253)
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	(22,259)
Other	10,676	11,589	(3,980)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(274,357)	(134,717)	(65,978)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	105,000	75,000	182,500
Repayment of debt	(243,057)	(9,650)	(175,064)
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	5,681	5,411	2,720
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			(23,460)
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	(1,351)	(561)	(4,678)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	(263,235)	(143,387)	(135,985)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(396,962)	(73,187)	(153,967)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(245,614)	233,135	20,393
Balance, beginning of year	303,746	70,611	50,218
Balance, end of year	58,132	303,746	70,611
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	283,044	190,545	180,555
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(39,338)	(33,396)	(32,263)
Purchase of timberlands	(218,597)	(5,360)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		(46,700)
Intercompany purchase of real estate	0	0
Change in restricted cash	8,323	(8,231)	1,399
Investment in subsidiaries	0
Other	702	(2,205)	1,504
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(248,910)	(95,892)	(29,360)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	235,000	82,000	85,000
Repayment of debt	(256,000)	(87,000)	(132,579)
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	(676)	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	204,420
Intercompany distributions	(242,741)	(48,241)	(111,000)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(59,997)	(53,241)	(158,579)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	617	(48)	270
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	(25,246)	41,364	(7,114)
Balance, beginning of year	45,717	4,353	11,467
Balance, end of year	20,471	45,717	4,353
Potential additional securities issued by parent [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(559,888)	(279,581)	(249,579)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0	2,594
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0
Intercompany purchase of timberlands		46,700
Intercompany purchase of real estate	12,394	41,253
Change in restricted cash	0	0	0
Investment in subsidiaries	41,518
Other	0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	53,912	87,953	2,594
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0	0
Purchase of exchangeable note hedge			0
Proceeds from issuance of warrants			0
Debt issuance costs	0	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	505,976	191,628	246,985
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES	505,976	191,628	246,985
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
(Decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0	0
Balance, end of year	$ 0	$ 0	$ 0