Earnings Per Common Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011		Mar. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Sep. 30, 2010		Jun. 30, 2010		Mar. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010		Dec. 31, 2009
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 56,230	[1]	$ 104,909	[2]	$ 56,454		$ 58,412		$ 59,171	[3]	$ 62,904		$ 38,558		$ 56,953	[4]	$ 276,005		$ 217,586		$ 312,541
Shares used for determining basic earnings per share																	121,662,985		120,240,275		118,578,719
Dilutive Effect of:
Stock Options																	702,693		593,768		549,147
Performance and restricted shares																	982,951		1,034,319		902,585
Assumed conversion of Senior Exchangeable Notes																	1,895,762	[5]	0	[5]	0	[5]
Assumed conversion of warrants																	149,900		0		0
Shares used for determining diluted earnings per common share																	125,394,291		121,868,362		120,030,451
Basic earnings per share	$ 0.46	[6]	$ 0.86	[6]	$ 0.46	[6]	$ 0.48	[6]	$ 0.49	[6]	$ 0.52	[6]	$ 0.32	[6]	$ 0.48	[6]	$ 2.27	[6]	$ 1.81	[6]	$ 2.63
Diluted earnings per share	$ 0.45	[6]	$ 0.84	[6]	$ 0.45	[6]	$ 0.47	[6]	$ 0.48	[6]	$ 0.51	[6]	$ 0.32	[6]	$ 0.47	[6]	$ 2.20	[6]	$ 1.79	[6]	$ 2.60
Stock Split, Description																	On July 22, 2011, the Board of Directors authorized a three-for-two stock split in the form of a stock dividend. The additional shares were distributed on August 24, 2011 to shareholders of record on August 10, 2011.

[1] Fourth quarter 2011 included a pre-tax $6.5 million ($4.1 million after tax) increase in a disposition reserve.

[2] Third quarter 2011 included a benefit of $16.0 million from the reversal of a reserve related to the taxability of the AFMC.

[3] Fourth quarter 2010 included a tax benefit of $24.3 million related to the CBPC. See Note 8 — Income Taxes.

[4] First quarter 2010 included a pre-tax $12.4 million ($11.5 million after tax) gain from the sale of a portion of the Company's interest in its New Zealand JV. See Note 5 — Joint Venture Investment for further information.

[5] Upon maturity of the Senior Exchangeable Notes (the "Notes"), Rayonier will not issue additional shares for the Notes due to the offsetting exchangeable note hedges (the "hedges"). However, Accounting Standards Codification 260, Earnings Per Share requires the assumed conversion of the Notes to be included in dilutive shares if the average stock price for the period exceeds the strike prices, while the assumed conversion of the hedges are excluded since they are anti-dilutive. Rayonier will distribute additional shares upon maturity of the warrants if the stock price exceeds the strike price. For additional information on the potential dilutive impact of the Senior Exchangeable Notes, warrants and exchangeable note hedges, see Note 11 — Debt.

[6] The impact of the August 2011 three-for-two stock split is reflected for all periods presented. See Note 9 — Earnings per Common Share for further information.