Consolidating Financial Statements - Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
	Jun. 27, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		$ 177,164	$ 320,416	$ 546,793
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(57,293)	(63,713)	(63,203)
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations		0	(60,955)	(103,092)
Real estate development investments		(2,676)	(3,674)	(1,292)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture		0	0	(139,879)
Purchase of timberlands		(98,409)	(130,896)	(20,401)
Proceeds from settlement of foreign currency hedge		2,804	0	1,701
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion		0	0	(148,262)
Proceeds from disposition of Wood Products business		0	0	62,720
Change in restricted cash		(16,836)	62,256	(58,385)
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0	0
Other		6,101	306	(447)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(166,309)	(196,676)	(470,540)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		472,558	1,426,464	622,885
Repayment of debt		(364,402)	(1,289,637)	(549,485)
Dividends paid	$ (63,200)	(124,936)	(257,517)	(237,016)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		2,117	5,579	10,101
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation		0	0	8,413
Proceeds from repurchase of common shares		(100,000)	(1,858)	(11,326)
Debt issuance costs		(1,678)	(12,380)	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business		0	(31,420)	0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	0	0
Intercompany distributions		0	0	0
Other		(122)	(680)	(713)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(116,463)	(161,449)	(157,141)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		(4,173)	(377)	(64)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		(109,781)	(38,086)	(80,952)
Balance, beginning of year		161,558	199,644	280,596
Balance, end of year		51,777	161,558	199,644
Rayonier Inc.(Parent Issuer)
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		(4,890)	269,653	407,712
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		0	0	0
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			0	0
Real estate development investments		0	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture				0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0	0
Proceeds from settlement of foreign currency hedge		0		0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion				0
Proceeds from disposition of Wood Products business				0
Change in restricted cash		0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0	(138,178)
Other		0	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		0	0	(138,178)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		61,000	0	175,000
Repayment of debt		(61,000)	0	(325,000)
Dividends paid		(124,936)	(257,517)	(237,016)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		2,117	5,579	10,101
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation				0
Proceeds from repurchase of common shares		(100,000)	(1,858)	(11,326)
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			(31,420)
Issuance of intercompany notes		(35,500)	(12,400)	(4,000)
Intercompany distributions		163,585	0	0
Other		(122)	0	0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(94,856)	(297,616)	(392,241)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		(99,746)	(27,963)	(122,707)
Balance, beginning of year		102,218	130,181	252,888
Balance, end of year		2,472	102,218	130,181
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% | Consolidating Adjustments
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		0	(290,157)	(771,375)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		0	0	0
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			0	0
Real estate development investments		0	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture				0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0	0
Proceeds from settlement of foreign currency hedge		0		0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion				0
Proceeds from disposition of Wood Products business				0
Change in restricted cash		0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries		(126,242)	(798,875)	523,470
Other		0	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(126,242)	(798,875)	523,470
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		0	0	0
Repayment of debt		0	0	0
Dividends paid		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation				0
Proceeds from repurchase of common shares		0	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	0	0
Intercompany distributions		126,242	1,089,032	247,905
Other		0	0	0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		126,242	1,089,032	247,905
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		0	0	0
Balance, beginning of year		0	0	0
Balance, end of year		0	0	0
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% | Subsidiary Guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		(21,421)	293,193	417,074
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(78)	(400)	(663)
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			0	0
Real estate development investments		0	0	0
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture				0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0	0
Proceeds from settlement of foreign currency hedge		0		1,701
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion				0
Proceeds from disposition of Wood Products business				0
Change in restricted cash		0	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries		126,242	798,875	(385,292)
Other		0	0	0
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		126,164	798,475	(384,254)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		353,000	201,000	390,000
Repayment of debt		(232,973)	(1,002,500)	(151,525)
Dividends paid		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation				0
Proceeds from repurchase of common shares		0	0	0
Debt issuance costs		(1,678)	0
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	0	0
Intercompany distributions		(217,980)	(293,086)	(283,596)
Other		0	0	0
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(99,631)	(1,094,586)	(45,121)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		5,112	(2,918)	(12,301)
Balance, beginning of year		8,105	11,023	23,324
Balance, end of year		13,217	8,105	11,023
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% | Non- guarantors
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES		203,475	47,727	493,382
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(57,215)	(63,313)	(62,540)
Capital expenditures from discontinued operations			(60,955)	(103,092)
Real estate development investments		(2,676)	(3,674)	(1,292)
Purchase of additional interest in New Zealand joint venture				(139,879)
Purchase of timberlands		(98,409)	(130,896)	(20,401)
Proceeds from settlement of foreign currency hedge		2,804		0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion				(148,262)
Proceeds from disposition of Wood Products business				62,720
Change in restricted cash		(16,836)	62,256	(58,385)
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0	0
Other		6,101	306	(447)
CASH USED FOR INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(166,231)	(196,276)	(471,578)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		58,558	1,225,464	57,885
Repayment of debt		(70,429)	(287,137)	(72,960)
Dividends paid		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares		0	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation				8,413
Proceeds from repurchase of common shares		0	0	0
Debt issuance costs		0	(12,380)
Net cash disbursed upon spin-off of Performance Fibers business			0
Issuance of intercompany notes		35,500	12,400	4,000
Intercompany distributions		(71,847)	(795,946)	35,691
Other		0	(680)	(713)
CASH USED FOR FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(48,218)	141,721	32,316
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		(4,173)	(377)	(64)
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents		(15,147)	(7,205)	54,056
Balance, beginning of year		51,235	58,440	4,384
Balance, end of year		$ 36,088	$ 51,235	$ 58,440