CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 139,049	$ 161,558	$ 156,071	$ 199,644
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	19,960	24,018
Inventory	13,100	8,383
Prepaid and other current assets	18,040	19,745
Total current assets	190,149	213,704
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,073,024	2,088,501
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	71,952	77,433
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	6,592	6,706
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	70,833	66,771
TOTAL ASSETS	2,412,550	2,453,115
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	22,228	20,211
Current maturities of long-term debt	130,213	129,706
Accrued taxes	12,461	11,405
Accrued payroll and benefits	2,996	6,390
Accrued interest	9,892	8,433
Other current liabilities	19,002	25,857
Total current liabilities	196,792	202,002
LONG-TERM DEBT	612,804	621,849
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	33,661	33,477
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	21,077	20,636
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,327	1,488,470
Noncontrolling interest	82,889	86,681
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,548,216	1,575,151		1,755,243
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,412,550	2,453,115
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Guarantor) [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	77,738	102,218	93,840	130,181
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	77,738	102,218
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,465,487	1,463,303
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	250,530	248,233
OTHER ASSETS	2,667	2,763
TOTAL ASSETS	1,796,422	1,816,517
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	6,095	3,047
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	6,095	3,047
LONG-TERM DEBT	325,000	325,000
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,327	1,488,470
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,327	1,488,470
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,796,422	1,816,517
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	4,282	11	4,494	304
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	2,075	2,003
Total current assets	6,357	2,014
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	390	433
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,946,368	1,923,185
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	16,538	16,610
TOTAL ASSETS	1,969,653	1,942,242
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	1,809	2,687
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	11	11
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,282	3,253
Accrued interest	(8)	(3)
Other current liabilities	788	928
Total current liabilities	3,882	6,876
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	34,345	34,161
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	6,623	6,436
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	459,316	431,466
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,487	1,463,303
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,487	1,463,303
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,969,653	1,942,242
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	1,287	8,094	(178)	10,719
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	182	1,409
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	2,120	6
Total current assets	3,589	9,509
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	650,156	640,678
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	21,713	21,500
OTHER ASSETS	1,516	1,759
TOTAL ASSETS	676,974	673,446
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	31	123
Current maturities of long-term debt	130,213	129,706
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	1,047	2,520
Other current liabilities	(69)	145
Total current liabilities	131,222	132,494
LONG-TERM DEBT	33,759	31,000
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	511,993	509,952
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	511,993	509,952
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	676,974	673,446
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	55,742	51,235	57,915	58,440
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	19,778	22,609
Inventory	13,100	8,383
Prepaid and other current assets	13,845	17,736
Total current assets	102,465	99,963
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,073,024	2,088,501
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	71,952	77,433
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	6,202	6,273
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	50,112	45,639
TOTAL ASSETS	2,303,755	2,317,809
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	20,388	17,401
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	12,450	11,394
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,714	3,137
Accrued interest	33,468	31,281
Other current liabilities	18,283	24,784
Total current liabilities	86,303	87,997
LONG-TERM DEBT	254,045	265,849
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	(684)	(684)
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	14,454	14,200
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(201,620)	(153,754)
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,068,368	2,017,520
Noncontrolling interest	82,889	86,681
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,151,257	2,104,201
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,303,755	2,317,809
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(4,062,011)	(4,027,166)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(272,243)	(269,733)
OTHER ASSETS	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(4,334,254)	(4,296,899)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	(30,710)	(28,412)
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(30,710)	(28,412)
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(257,696)	(277,712)
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,045,848)	(3,990,775)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,045,848)	(3,990,775)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(4,334,254)	(4,296,899)
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	5,569	8,105	4,316	11,023
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	182	1,409
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	4,195	2,009
Total current assets	9,946	11,523
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	390	433
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,084,531	2,053,911
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	21,713	21,500
OTHER ASSETS	18,054	18,369
TOTAL ASSETS	2,134,634	2,105,736
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	1,840	2,810
Current maturities of long-term debt	130,213	129,706
Accrued taxes	11	11
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,282	3,253
Accrued interest	1,039	2,517
Other current liabilities	719	1,073
Total current liabilities	135,104	139,370
LONG-TERM DEBT	33,759	31,000
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	34,345	34,161
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	6,623	6,436
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	459,316	431,466
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,487	1,463,303
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,465,487	1,463,303
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,134,634	2,105,736
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	55,742	51,235	57,915	58,440
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	19,778	22,609
Inventory	13,100	8,383
Prepaid and other current assets	13,845	17,736
Total current assets	102,465	99,963
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,073,024	2,088,501
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	71,952	77,433
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	6,202	6,273
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	50,112	45,639
TOTAL ASSETS	2,303,755	2,317,809
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	20,388	17,401
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	12,450	11,394
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,714	3,137
Accrued interest	33,468	31,281
Other current liabilities	18,283	24,784
Total current liabilities	86,303	87,997
LONG-TERM DEBT	254,045	265,849
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	(684)	(684)
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	14,454	14,200
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(201,620)	(153,754)
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,068,368	2,017,520
Noncontrolling interest	82,889	86,681
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,151,257	2,104,201
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,303,755	2,317,809
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	0	0
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(3,550,018)	(3,517,214)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(272,243)	(269,733)
OTHER ASSETS	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(3,822,261)	(3,786,947)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	(30,710)	(28,412)
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	(30,710)	(28,412)
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(257,696)	(277,712)
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(3,533,855)	(3,480,823)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(3,533,855)	(3,480,823)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$ (3,822,261)	$ (3,786,947)