Guarantees (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	$ 51,856,000
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	39,515,000
Recorded liability for performance obligation	de minimus guarantee liability
Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations Collateral for Industrial Revenue Bonds	39,000,000
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	43,142,000	[1]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	38,110,000	[1]
Guarantor Obligations, Term	various dates during 2012
Financial Guarantee [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	2,555,000	[2]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	43,000	[2]
Recorded liability for performance obligation	de minimus liability
Guarantee Type, Other [Member]
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]
Guarantor Obligations, Maximum Exposure, Undiscounted	6,159,000	[3]
Guarantor Obligations, Current Carrying Value	$ 1,362,000	[3]
Guarantor Obligations, Term	various dates between 2012 and 2014

[1] Approximately $39 million of the standby letters of credit serve as credit support for industrial revenue bonds. The remaining letters of credit support various insurance related agreements, primarily workers’ compensation and pollution liability policy requirements. These letters of credit will expire at various dates during 2012 and will be renewed as required.

[2] In conjunction with a timberland sale and note monetization in the first quarter of 2004, the Company issued a make-whole agreement pursuant to which it guaranteed $2.6 million of obligations of a special-purpose entity that was established to complete the monetization. At December 31, 2011, the Company has recorded a de minimus liability to reflect the fair market value of its obligation to perform under the make-whole agreement.

[3] Rayonier issues surety bonds primarily to secure timber harvesting obligations in the State of Washington and to provide collateral for the Company’s workers’ compensation self-insurance program in that state. These surety bonds expire at various dates between 2012 and 2014 and are expected to be renewed as required.