Employee Benefit Plans - Change in PBO and Assets and Reconciliations (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Noncurrent liabilities	$ (34,137)	$ (33,477)
Pension
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Rollforward]
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year	87,355	413,638
Service cost	1,484	3,923	$ 8,452
Interest cost	3,319	10,707	16,682
Actuarial (gain) loss	(5,332)	43,093
Employee contributions	0	0
Benefits paid	(2,821)	(11,288)
Transferred to Rayonier Advanced Materials	0	(372,718)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year	84,005	87,355	413,638
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	55,546	341,905
Actual return on plan assets	(1,241)	21,399
Employer contributions	29	1,103
Employee contributions	0	0
Benefits paid	(2,821)	(11,288)
Other expense	(543)	(607)
Transferred to Rayonier Advanced Materials	0	(296,966)
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	50,970	55,546	341,905
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan [Abstract]
Net accrued benefit cost	(33,035)	(31,809)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Noncurrent assets	0	0
Current liabilities	(32)	(15)
Noncurrent liabilities	(33,003)	(31,794)
Net amount recognized	(33,035)	(31,809)
Postretirement
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Benefit Obligation [Rollforward]
Projected benefit obligation at beginning of year	1,226	21,999
Service cost	11	402	1,056
Interest cost	52	537	937
Actuarial (gain) loss	(123)	2,250
Employee contributions	0	484
Benefits paid	(7)	(888)
Transferred to Rayonier Advanced Materials	0	(23,558)
Projected benefit obligation at end of year	1,159	1,226	21,999
Defined Benefit Plan, Change in Fair Value of Plan Assets [Roll Forward]
Fair value of plan assets at beginning of year	0	0
Actual return on plan assets	0	0
Employer contributions	7	404
Employee contributions	0	484
Benefits paid	(7)	(888)
Other expense	0	0
Transferred to Rayonier Advanced Materials	0	0
Fair value of plan assets at end of year	0	0	$ 0
Defined Benefit Plan, Funded Status of Plan [Abstract]
Net accrued benefit cost	(1,159)	(1,226)
Defined Benefit Plan, Amounts Recognized in Balance Sheet [Abstract]
Noncurrent assets	0	0
Current liabilities	(24)	(25)
Noncurrent liabilities	(1,135)	(1,201)
Net amount recognized	$ (1,159)	$ (1,226)