BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	3 Months Ended
BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)	Mar. 31, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The unaudited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of Rayonier Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Rayonier” or the “Company”) have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In the opinion of management, these financial statements and notes reflect all adjustments (all of which are normal recurring adjustments) necessary for a fair presentation of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the periods presented. These statements and notes should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and supplementary data included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016, as filed with the SEC (the “2016 Form 10-K”).
Recently Adopted Standards	Recently Adopted Standards In October 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, stating entities should recognize income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory in the period in which they occur. As such, the Company is required to apply the changes on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. ASU No. 2016-16 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted at the beginning of an annual period for which financial statements have not been issued. Rayonier early adopted ASU No. 2016-16 in this quarterly report on Form 10-Q. See Note 7 — Income Taxes for additional information. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. This update simplifies the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Rayonier adopted ASU No. 2016-09 during the first quarter ended March 31, 2017. Upon adoption, additional excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies are recorded to “Income tax (expense) benefit” in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income, forfeitures are accounted for when they occur and cash paid by Rayonier when directly withholding shares for tax withholding purposes are classified as a financing activity within the statement of cash flows. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.
New Accounting Standards	New Accounting Standards In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, which requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-18 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. Rayonier intends to adopt ASU No. 2016-18 in the Company’s first quarter 2018 Form 10-Q. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on the consolidated financial statements. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses the diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows under Topic 230, Statement of Cash Flows, and other Topics. This update addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice. ASU No. 2016-15 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. ASU No. 2016-15 is required to be applied retrospectively to all periods presented beginning in the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on the consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets related to the rights and obligations created by those leases. ASU No. 2016-02 also requires additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures related to the nature, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that reporting period. ASU No. 2016-02 is required to be applied retrospectively to all periods presented beginning in the period of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on the consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB and International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) jointly issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that will supersede current revenue recognition guidance. The guidance provides a unified model to determine when and how revenue is recognized and will require enhanced disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with customers. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Deferral of the Effective Date. ASU No. 2015-14 provides a one-year deferral of the effective date of the new standard, with an option for organizations to adopt early based on the original effective date. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers - Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing. The update clarifies the guidance for identifying performance obligations. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients. The update clarifies the guidance for assessing collectibility, presenting sales taxes and other similar taxes collected from customers, noncash consideration, contract modifications at transition, completed contracts at transition and disclosing the accounting change in the period of adoption. In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-05, Other Income - Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20): Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets. The update clarifies that a financial asset is within the scope of Subtopic 610-20 if it meets the definition of an in substance nonfinancial asset. This standard will be effective for Rayonier beginning January 1, 2018 and can be applied either retrospectively to each period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on the consolidated financial statements and has completed a preliminary analysis of the specific impacts to the Southern Timber, Pacific Northwest Timber, New Zealand Timber and Real Estate segments.
Segment Reporting	Sales between operating segments are made based on estimated fair market value and intercompany sales, purchases and profits (losses) are eliminated in consolidation. The Company evaluates financial performance based on segment operating income and Adjusted EBITDA. Asset information is not reported by segment, as the Company does not produce asset information by segment internally. Operating income as presented in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income is equal to segment income. Certain income (loss) items in the Consolidated Statements of Income and Comprehensive Income are not allocated to segments. These items, which include gains (losses) from certain asset dispositions, interest income (expense), miscellaneous income (expense) and income tax (expense) benefit, are not considered by management to be part of segment operations and are included under “Corporate and other” or “unallocated interest expense and other.”
Derivatives	Accounting for derivative financial instruments is governed by ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, (“ASC 815”). In accordance with ASC 815, the Company records its derivative instruments at fair value as either assets or liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Changes in the instruments’ fair value are accounted for based on their intended use. Gains and losses on derivatives that are designated and qualify for cash flow hedge accounting are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) and reclassified into earnings when the hedged transaction materializes. Gains and losses on derivatives that are designated and qualify for net investment hedge accounting are recorded as a component of AOCI and will not be reclassified into earnings until the Company’s investment in its New Zealand operations is partially or completely liquidated. The ineffective portion of any hedge, changes in the fair value of derivatives not designated as hedging instruments and those which are no longer effective as hedging instruments, are recognized immediately in earnings.
Derivatives, Offsetting Fair Value Amounts	Derivative financial instruments are presented at their gross fair values in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company’s derivative financial instruments are not subject to master netting arrangements, which would allow the right of offset.
Fair Value	The fair value of foreign currency exchange contracts is determined by a mark-to-market valuation which estimates fair value by discounting the difference between the contracted forward price and the current forward price for the residual maturity of the contract using a risk-free interest rate. The fair value of foreign currency option contracts is based on a mark-to-market calculation using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Rayonier uses the following methods and assumptions in estimating the fair value of its financial instruments: Cash and cash equivalents and Restricted cash — The carrying amount is equal to fair market value. Debt — The fair value of fixed rate debt is based upon quoted market prices for debt with similar terms and maturities. The variable rate debt adjusts with changes in the market rate, therefore the carrying value approximates fair value. Interest rate swap agreements — The fair value of interest rate contracts is determined by discounting the expected future cash flows, for each instrument, at prevailing interest rates. Foreign currency exchange contracts — The fair value of foreign currency exchange contracts is determined by a mark-to-market valuation which estimates fair value by discounting the difference between the contracted forward price and the current forward price for the residual maturity of the contract using a risk-free interest rate. Foreign currency option contracts — The fair value of foreign currency option contracts is based on a mark-to-market calculation using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Consolidation Financial Statements	The condensed consolidating financial information below follows the same accounting policies as described in the consolidated financial statements, except for the use of the equity method of accounting to reflect ownership interests in wholly-owned subsidiaries, which are eliminated upon consolidation, and the allocation of certain expenses of Rayonier Inc. incurred for the benefit of its subsidiaries.
Subsequent Events	Subsequent Events Acquisition of 94,400 acres of coastal Florida, Georgia and South Carolina timberland In April 2017, the Company completed two separate transactions for the purchase of approximately 94,400 acres of timberland in coastal Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. The final aggregate purchase price of these two transactions, along with a 700 acre transaction that closed in March 2017, was approximately $214 million, or $2,250 per acre. These previously-announced acquisitions were made with proceeds from an equity offering completed in March 2017 and like-kind exchange proceeds from real estate and timberland sales.