CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Income and Comprehensive Income) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended						9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
SALES	$ 156,417			$ 200,890			$ 532,764	$ 649,991
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	(134,463)			(143,261)			(418,169)	(466,167)
Selling and general expenses	(10,102)			(10,800)			(30,896)	(31,304)
Other operating (expense) income, net	(865)			(451)			(2,799)	2,577
Costs and Expenses, Total	(145,430)			(154,512)			(451,864)	(494,894)
OPERATING INCOME	10,987			46,378			80,900	155,097
Interest expense	(7,996)			(7,838)			(23,629)	(23,992)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net	788			495			3,178	4,020
Equity in income from subsidiaries	0			0			0	0
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	3,779			39,035			60,449	135,125
Income tax expense	(2,251)			(8,396)			(10,208)	(22,443)
NET INCOME	1,528	$ 20,920	$ 27,793	30,639	$ 39,338	$ 42,706	50,241	112,682
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,961)			(7,207)			(7,129)	(12,453)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	(433)			23,432			43,112	100,229
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	(28,524)	(5,604)	6,033	(10,527)	(29,760)	9,688	(28,095)	(30,599)
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax	(12,424)	$ (19,519)	$ (10,686)	4,142	$ 529	$ 16,615	(42,629)	21,285
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans, net of income tax	112			(542)			337	(204)
Total other comprehensive (loss)	(40,836)			(6,927)			(70,387)	(9,518)
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME	(39,308)			23,712			(20,146)	103,164
Less: Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	5,169			(4,533)			(197)	(4,004)
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	(34,139)			19,179			(20,343)	99,160
Consolidating Adjustments
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
SALES	0			0			0	0
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	0			0			0	0
Selling and general expenses	0			0			0	0
Other operating (expense) income, net	0			0			0	0
Costs and Expenses, Total	0			0			0	0
OPERATING INCOME	0			0			0	0
Interest expense	0			0			0	0
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net	0			0			0	0
Equity in income from subsidiaries	(15,823)			(58,366)			(137,060)	(231,339)
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(15,823)			(58,366)			(137,060)	(231,339)
Income tax expense	0			0			0	0
NET INCOME	(15,823)			(58,366)			(137,060)	(231,339)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0			0			0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	(15,823)			(58,366)			(137,060)	(231,339)
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	21,918			8,090			21,544	23,341
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax	11,899			(4,379)			42,248	(22,476)
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans, net of income tax	(112)			542			(337)	204
Total other comprehensive (loss)	33,705			4,253			63,455	1,069
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME	17,882			(54,113)			(73,605)	(230,270)
Less: Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0			0			0	0
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	17,882			(54,113)			(73,605)	(230,270)
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Issuer) | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
SALES	0			0			0	0
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	0			0			0	0
Selling and general expenses	0			0			0	0
Other operating (expense) income, net	0			0			0	(12)
Costs and Expenses, Total	0			0			0	(12)
OPERATING INCOME	0			0			0	(12)
Interest expense	(3,139)			(3,138)			(9,417)	(9,417)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net	(457)			1,743			(1,370)	7,105
Equity in income from subsidiaries	3,163			24,827			53,899	102,553
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(433)			23,432			43,112	100,229
Income tax expense	0			0			0	0
NET INCOME	(433)			23,432			43,112	100,229
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0			0			0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	(433)			23,432			43,112	100,229
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	(21,918)			(8,090)			(21,544)	(23,341)
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax	(11,899)			4,379			(42,248)	22,476
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans, net of income tax	112			(542)			337	(204)
Total other comprehensive (loss)	(33,705)			(4,253)			(63,455)	(1,069)
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME	(34,138)			19,179			(20,343)	99,160
Less: Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0			0			0	0
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	(34,138)			19,179			(20,343)	99,160
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
SALES	0			0			0	0
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	0			0			0	0
Selling and general expenses	(4,725)			(5,094)			(15,228)	(14,953)
Other operating (expense) income, net	(17)			(50)			(1,107)	545
Costs and Expenses, Total	(4,742)			(5,144)			(16,335)	(14,408)
OPERATING INCOME	(4,742)			(5,144)			(16,335)	(14,408)
Interest expense	(4,843)			(4,676)			(14,160)	(14,229)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net	742			1,755			2,634	3,265
Equity in income from subsidiaries	12,660			33,539			83,161	128,786
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	3,817			25,474			55,300	103,414
Income tax expense	(654)			(647)			(1,401)	(861)
NET INCOME	3,163			24,827			53,899	102,553
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	0			0			0	0
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	3,163			24,827			53,899	102,553
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	0			0			(90)	452
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax	(10,141)			5,174			(40,973)	26,460
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans, net of income tax	112			(542)			337	(204)
Total other comprehensive (loss)	(10,029)			4,632			(40,726)	26,708
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME	(6,866)			29,459			13,173	129,261
Less: Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	0			0			0	0
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	(6,866)			29,459			13,173	129,261
Non- guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Condensed Statement of Income Captions [Line Items]
SALES	156,417			200,890			532,764	649,991
Costs and Expenses
Cost of sales	(134,463)			(143,261)			(418,169)	(466,167)
Selling and general expenses	(5,377)			(5,706)			(15,668)	(16,351)
Other operating (expense) income, net	(848)			(401)			(1,692)	2,044
Costs and Expenses, Total	(140,688)			(149,368)			(435,529)	(480,474)
OPERATING INCOME	15,729			51,522			97,235	169,517
Interest expense	(14)			(24)			(52)	(346)
Interest and miscellaneous income (expense), net	503			(3,003)			1,914	(6,350)
Equity in income from subsidiaries	0			0			0	0
INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES	16,218			48,495			99,097	162,821
Income tax expense	(1,597)			(7,749)			(8,807)	(21,582)
NET INCOME	14,621			40,746			90,290	141,239
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(1,961)			(7,207)			(7,129)	(12,453)
NET (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	12,660			33,539			83,161	128,786
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of income tax	(28,524)			(10,527)			(28,005)	(31,051)
Cash flow hedges, net of income tax	(2,283)			(1,032)			(1,656)	(5,175)
Amortization of pension and postretirement plans, net of income tax	0			0			0	0
Total other comprehensive (loss)	(30,807)			(11,559)			(29,661)	(36,226)
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME	(16,186)			29,187			60,629	105,013
Less: Comprehensive loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interest	5,169			(4,533)			(197)	(4,004)
COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME ATTRIBUTABLE TO RAYONIER INC.	$ (11,017)			$ 24,654			$ 60,432	$ 101,009