Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
SALES	$ 544,874	$ 603,521	$ 659,718
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	441,099	483,860	530,772
Selling and general expenses	45,750	47,883	55,433
Other operating income, net (Note 17)	(19,759)	(26,511)	(18,487)
Costs and Expenses, Total	467,090	505,232	567,718
Equity in income of New Zealand joint venture	0	0	562
OPERATING INCOME BEFORE GAIN RELATED TO CONSOLIDATION OF NEW ZEALAND JOINT VENTURE	77,784	98,289	92,562
Gain related to consolidation of New Zealand joint venture (Note 7)	0	0	16,098
OPERATING INCOME	77,784	98,289	108,660
Interest expense	(31,699)	(44,248)	(40,941)
Interest and miscellaneous (expense) income, net	(3,003)	(9,199)	2,439
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	43,082	44,842	70,158
Income tax benefit	859	9,601	35,685
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	43,941	54,443	105,843
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $20,578 and $106,397		43,403	267,955
NET INCOME	43,941	97,846	373,798
Less: Net (loss) income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(2,224)	(1,491)	1,902
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	46,165	99,337	371,896
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $1,066, ($78) and $0	(32,451)	(15,847)	(5,710)
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax (expense) benefit of ($91), $861 and ($248)	(9,961)	(1,855)	3,629
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities, net of income tax effect of $470, $35,852 and $27,786	2,933	54,046	61,869
Total other comprehensive income	(39,479)	36,344	59,788
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME	4,462	134,190	433,586
Less: Comprehensive loss attributable to noncontrolling interest	(13,027)	(6,462)	(1,550)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	$ 17,489	$ 140,652	$ 435,136
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.44	$ 0.83
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.34	2.13
Net Income (in dollars per share)	0.37	0.78	2.96
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)	0.37	0.43	0.80
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.33	2.06
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.37	$ 0.76	$ 2.86