Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2011
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 208,876	$ 194,867
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(76,246)	(65,211)
Purchase of timberlands	(8,687)	(12,976)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(63,998)	(3,576)
Change in restricted cash	(14,427)	8,323
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	(704)	2,626
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(164,062)	(70,814)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	355,000	70,000
Repayment of debt	(188,110)	(145,000)
Dividends paid	(98,201)	(87,871)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	3,980	7,894
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	4,234	4,900
Debt issuance costs	(3,653)	(1,663)
Repurchase of common shares	(7,783)	(7,828)
Intercompany distributions	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	65,467	(159,568)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	219	232
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	110,500	(35,283)
Balance, beginning of year	78,603	349,463
Balance, end of period	189,103	314,180
Parent Company [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	3,173	87,805
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(5,181)	0
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(5,181)	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	325,000	0
Repayment of debt	(120,000)	0
Dividends paid	(98,201)	(87,871)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	3,980	7,894
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	(3,653)	0
Repurchase of common shares	(7,783)	(7,828)
Intercompany distributions	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	99,343	(87,805)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	97,335	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	97,335	0
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	51,579	104,011
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(165)	(238)
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	(69)	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(234)	(238)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	(30,000)	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(480)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	5,181	(87,325)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(24,819)	(87,805)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	26,526	15,968
Balance, beginning of year	8,977	29,759
Balance, end of period	35,503	45,727
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Issuer Subsidiary [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	12,000	15,000
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(39,436)	24,778
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(39,436)	24,778
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	0
Repayment of debt	(23,110)	(75,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(703)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(9,233)	(15,000)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(17,343)	(90,703)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(44,779)	(50,925)
Balance, beginning of year	59,976	283,258
Balance, end of period	15,197	232,333
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Rayonier TRS Holdings Inc [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	94,485	97,347
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(58,025)	(47,800)
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(63,998)	(3,576)
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	(962)	2,698
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(122,985)	(48,678)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	4,234	4,900
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	24,669	(43,336)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	28,903	(38,436)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	219	232
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	622	10,465
Balance, beginning of year	7,398	1,280
Balance, end of period	8,020	11,745
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	86,639	81,107
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(18,056)	(17,173)
Purchase of timberlands	(8,687)	(12,976)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	(14,427)	8,323
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	327	(72)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(40,843)	(21,898)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	70,000
Repayment of debt	(15,000)	(70,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(480)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(15,000)	(69,520)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(15,000)	(70,000)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	30,796	(10,791)
Balance, beginning of year	2,252	35,166
Balance, end of period	33,048	24,375
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(39,000)	(190,403)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	44,617	(24,778)
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	44,617	(24,778)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(5,617)	215,181
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(5,617)	215,181
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	0	0
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	139,606	178,470
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(58,219)	(48,003)
Purchase of timberlands	(101)	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(63,998)	(3,576)
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0
Other	(1,030)	2,698
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(123,348)	(48,881)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	0
Repayment of debt	(53,110)	(75,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	4,234	4,900
Debt issuance costs	0	(1,183)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	5,181	(87,325)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(28,695)	(158,608)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(12,437)	(29,019)
Balance, beginning of year	58,132	303,746
Balance, end of period	45,695	274,727
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	81,097	85,437
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(18,027)	(17,208)
Purchase of timberlands	(8,586)	(12,976)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	(14,427)	8,323
Investment in Subsidiaries	0
Other	326	(72)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(40,714)	(21,933)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	70,000
Repayment of debt	(15,000)	(70,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(480)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(15,000)	(69,520)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(15,000)	(70,000)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	219	232
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	25,602	(6,264)
Balance, beginning of year	20,471	45,717
Balance, end of period	46,073	39,453
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(15,000)	(156,845)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	5,181
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	5,181	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	9,819	156,845
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	9,819	156,845
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	$ 0	$ 0