CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jun. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 129,654	$ 51,777	$ 91,632	$ 161,558
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	30,576	20,222
Inventory	14,957	15,351
Prepaid expenses	13,489	12,654
Other current assets	6,197	5,681
Total current assets	194,873	105,685
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,306,105	2,066,780
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	68,164	65,450
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	9,124	6,742
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	53,913	71,281
TOTAL ASSETS	2,632,179	2,315,938
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	22,833	21,479
Accrued taxes	5,571	3,685
Accrued payroll and benefits	5,054	7,037
Accrued interest	5,174	6,153
Other current liabilities	29,370	21,103
Total current liabilities	68,002	59,457
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	1,052,307	830,554
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	34,525	34,137
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	56,825	30,050
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,336,774	1,288,084
Noncontrolling interest	83,746	73,656
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,420,520	1,361,740		1,575,151
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,632,179	2,315,938
Consolidating Adjustments
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0
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	(3,903,227)	(3,534,086)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	0	0
TOTAL ASSETS	(3,903,227)	(3,534,086)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(3,903,227)	(3,534,086)
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(3,903,227)	(3,534,086)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	(3,903,227)	(3,534,086)
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Issuer)
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	75,357	2,472	5,366	102,218
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	0	0
Other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	75,357	2,472
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	1,294,953	1,321,681
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	36,674	34,567
OTHER ASSETS	3	3
TOTAL ASSETS	1,406,987	1,358,723
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	609
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	3,046	3,047
Other current liabilities	0	0
Total current liabilities	3,046	3,656
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	322,882	322,697
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(255,715)	(255,714)
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,336,774	1,288,084
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,336,774	1,288,084
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,406,987	1,358,723
Subsidiary Guarantors
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	11,587	13,217	45,941	8,105
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	1,205	1,870
Inventory	0	0
Prepaid expenses	1,527	443
Other current assets	246	4,876
Total current assets	14,565	20,406
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	249	330
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	2,608,274	2,212,405
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(616,975)	(610,450)
OTHER ASSETS	21,767	18,718
TOTAL ASSETS	2,027,880	1,641,409
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	2,067	1,463
Accrued taxes	618	(10)
Accrued payroll and benefits	2,479	3,594
Accrued interest	1,823	666
Other current liabilities	265	262
Total current liabilities	7,252	5,975
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	663,242	280,978
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	35,209	34,822
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	46,185	16,914
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(18,961)	(18,961)
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,294,953	1,321,681
Noncontrolling interest	0	0
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	1,294,953	1,321,681
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,027,880	1,641,409
Non- guarantors
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	42,710	36,088	$ 40,325	$ 51,235
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	29,371	18,352
Inventory	14,957	15,351
Prepaid expenses	11,962	12,211
Other current assets	5,951	805
Total current assets	104,951	82,807
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	2,306,105	2,066,780
HIGHER AND BETTER USE TIMBERLANDS AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT COSTS	68,164	65,450
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	8,875	6,412
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	580,301	575,883
OTHER ASSETS	32,143	52,560
TOTAL ASSETS	3,100,539	2,849,892
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	20,766	19,407
Accrued taxes	4,953	3,695
Accrued payroll and benefits	2,575	3,443
Accrued interest	305	2,440
Other current liabilities	29,105	20,841
Total current liabilities	57,704	49,826
LONG-TERM DEBT, NET OF DEFERRED FINANCING COSTS	66,183	226,879
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	(684)	(685)
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	10,640	13,136
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	274,676	274,675
TOTAL RAYONIER INC. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,608,274	2,212,405
Noncontrolling interest	83,746	73,656
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	2,692,020	2,286,061
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY	$ 3,100,539	$ 2,849,892