CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 53,398	$ 100,100
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(13,292)	(34,640)
Real estate development costs	(306)	(1,812)
Purchase of timberlands	(23,070)	(10,637)
Change in restricted cash	(7,071)	45,312
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	0	(778)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(43,739)	(2,555)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	12,000	31,819
Repayment of debt	(11,371)	(110,000)
Dividends paid	(31,667)	(62,545)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	546	2,027
Repurchase of common shares	(94)	(1,754)
Intercompany distributions	0	0
Other	0	(678)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(30,586)	(141,131)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(1,582)	13
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(22,509)	(43,573)
Balance, beginning of year	161,558	199,644
Balance, end of period	139,049	156,071
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	6,735	25,931
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Real estate development costs	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other		0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	(31,667)	(62,545)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	546	2,027
Repurchase of common shares	(94)	(1,754)
Intercompany distributions	0	0
Other		0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(31,215)	(62,272)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(24,480)	(36,341)
Balance, beginning of year	102,218	130,181
Balance, end of period	77,738	93,840
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	13,604	32,794
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	(170)
Real estate development costs	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(8,807)	69,103
Other		0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(8,807)	68,933
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	12,000	30,000
Repayment of debt	(10,000)	(110,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(9,333)	(28,434)
Other		0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(7,333)	(108,434)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(2,536)	(6,707)
Balance, beginning of year	8,105	11,023
Balance, end of period	5,569	4,316
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	42,105	68,585
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(13,292)	(34,470)
Real estate development costs	(306)	(1,812)
Purchase of timberlands	(23,070)	(10,637)
Change in restricted cash	(7,071)	45,312
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other		(778)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(43,739)	(2,385)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	1,819
Repayment of debt	(1,371)	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	9,094	(67,879)
Other		(678)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	7,723	(66,738)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(1,582)	13
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	4,507	(525)
Balance, beginning of year	51,235	58,440
Balance, end of period	55,742	57,915
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(9,046)	(27,210)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Real estate development costs	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	8,807	(69,103)
Other		0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	8,807	(69,103)
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
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	239	96,313
Other		0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	239	96,313
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 Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | ROC (Subsidiary Guarantor) [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	13,604	32,794
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	(170)
Real estate development costs	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other		0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	0	(170)
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
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	(9,333)	(28,434)
Other		0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(9,333)	(28,434)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	4,271	4,190
Balance, beginning of year	11	304
Balance, end of period	4,282	4,494
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Subsidiary Issuer [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	0	0
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Real estate development costs	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(8,807)	69,103
Other		0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(8,807)	69,103
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	12,000	30,000
Repayment of debt	(10,000)	(110,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	0	0
Other		0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	2,000	(80,000)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(6,807)	(10,897)
Balance, beginning of year	8,094	10,719
Balance, end of period	1,287	(178)
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Non-guarantors [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	42,105	68,585
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	(13,292)	(34,470)
Real estate development costs	(306)	(1,812)
Purchase of timberlands	(23,070)	(10,637)
Change in restricted cash	(7,071)	45,312
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other		(778)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(43,739)	(2,385)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	1,819
Repayment of debt	(1,371)	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	9,094	(67,879)
Other		(678)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	7,723	(66,738)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(1,582)	13
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	4,507	(525)
Balance, beginning of year	51,235	58,440
Balance, end of period	55,742	57,915
Senior Exchangeable Notes due August 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member] | Consolidation Adjustments [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(9,046)	(27,210)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures	0	0
Real estate development costs	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	8,807	(69,103)
Other		0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES	8,807	(69,103)
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
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Intercompany distributions	239	96,313
Other		0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES	239	96,313
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