Earnings Per Common Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				6 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income	$ 69,079		$ 56,454		$ 122,515		$ 114,865		$ 276,005
Shares used for determining basic earnings per share	122,455,464		121,692,663		122,403,388		121,557,144
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Stock Options	669,298		741,561		692,622		731,064
Dilutive Effect of:
Incremental Common Shares Attributable to Performance and Restricted Shares	726,368		951,940		727,968		916,987
Assumed conversion of Senior Exchangeable Notes	2,669,808	[1],[2]	2,312,093	[1],[2]	2,830,382	[1],[2]	1,906,811	[1],[2]
Assumed conversion of warrants	890,189	[1],[2]	493,167	[1],[2]	1,077,217	[1],[2]	156,482	[1],[2]
Shares used for determining diluted earnings per common share	127,411,127		126,191,424		127,731,577		125,268,488
Basic earnings per common share	$ 0.56		$ 0.46		$ 1.00		$ 0.94
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 0.54		$ 0.45		$ 0.96		$ 0.92
Average Stock Price	$ 43.74		$ 42.77		$ 44.40		$ 41.25
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member]
Statement [Line Items]
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights	41.59				41.59
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member]
Statement [Line Items]
Class of Warrant or Right, Exercise Price of Warrants or Rights	39.67				39.67

[1] Upon maturity of the Senior Exchangeable Notes (the "Notes"), Rayonier will not issue additional shares for the full difference between the strike price and the market price 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 prices of $41.59 for the Notes due 2012 and $39.67 for the Notes due 2015. For additional information on the potential dilutive impact of the Senior Exchangeable Notes, warrants and exchangeable note hedges, see Note 11 — Debt in the 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Note 13 — Debt of this Form 10-Q.

[2] The higher shares used for determining earnings per common share were primarily due to an increase in the average stock price from $42.77 for the three months ended June 30, 2011 to $43.74 for the three months ended June 30, 2012 and from $41.25 for the six months ended June 30, 2011 to $44.40 for the six months ended June 30, 2012.