Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Sep. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2015	Mar. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]
SALES	$ 220,464	$ 171,421	$ 261,550	$ 134,843	$ 137,111	$ 151,657	$ 115,801	$ 140,305	$ 788,278	$ 544,874	$ 603,521
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	161,918	116,624	138,194	107,971	114,132	116,044	103,689	107,234	524,707	441,099	483,860
Selling and general expenses									42,785	45,750	47,883
Other operating income, net (Note 17)									(34,991)	(19,759)	(26,511)
Costs and Expenses, Total									532,501	467,090	505,232
OPERATING INCOME									255,777	77,784	98,289
Interest expense									(32,245)	(31,699)	(44,248)
Interest and miscellaneous expense, net									(698)	(3,003)	(9,199)
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES									222,834	43,082	44,842
Income tax (expense) benefit (Note 9)									(5,064)	859	9,601
INCOME FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS									217,770	43,941	54,443
DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS, NET (Note 23)
Income from discontinued operations, net of income tax expense of $0, $0 and $20,578									0	0	43,403
NET INCOME	50,509	40,624	111,579	15,058	9,440	19,181	(2,860)	18,180	217,770	43,941	97,846
Less: Net income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									5,798	(2,224)	(1,491)
NET INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	$ 48,324	$ 39,355	$ 109,821	$ 14,472	$ 10,285	$ 19,669	$ (1,536)	$ 17,747	211,972	46,165	99,337
OTHER COMPREHENSIVE INCOME (LOSS)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax expense (benefit) of $0, $1,066 and ($78)									6,322	(32,451)	(15,847)
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax (expense) benefit of ($545), ($91) and $861									22,822	(9,961)	(1,855)
Actuarial change and amortization of pension and postretirement plan liabilities, net of income tax effect of $0, $470 and $35,852									5,533	2,933	54,046
Total other comprehensive income									34,677	(39,479)	36,344
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME									252,447	4,462	134,190
Less: Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest									9,555	(13,027)	(6,462)
COMPREHENSIVE INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.									$ 242,892	$ 17,489	$ 140,652
BASIC EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)									$ 1.73	$ 0.37	$ 0.44
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)									0.00	0.00	0.34
Net Income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.39	$ 0.32	$ 0.90	$ 0.12	$ 0.08	$ 0.16	$ (0.01)	$ 0.14	1.73	0.37	0.78
DILUTED EARNINGS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.
Continuing Operations (in dollars per share)									1.73	0.37	0.43
Discontinued Operations (in dollars per share)									0.00	0.00	0.33
Net income (in dollars per share)	$ 0.39	$ 0.32	$ 0.89	$ 0.12	$ 0.08	$ 0.16	$ (0.01)	$ 0.14	$ 1.73	$ 0.37	$ 0.76