Earnings Per Common Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended				12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2010		Dec. 31, 2010
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income	$ 104,909		$ 62,904		$ 219,774		$ 158,415		$ 217,586
Shares used for determining basic earnings per share	121,790,059		120,394,172		121,665,644		120,057,048
Dilutive Effect of:
Stock Options	689,643		579,611		716,095		575,294
Performance and restricted shares	1,179,047		1,232,342		1,121,909		1,144,926
Assumed conversion of Senior Exchangeable Notes	1,823,600	[1]	0	[1]	1,883,270	[1]	0	[1]
Assumed conversion of warrants	117,260		0		143,182		0
Shares used for determining diluted earnings per common share	125,599,609		122,206,125		125,530,100		121,777,268
Basic earnings per common share	$ 0.86		$ 0.52		$ 1.81		$ 1.32
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 0.84		$ 0.51		$ 1.75		$ 1.30
Stock Split, Conversion Ratio	1.5
Stock Split, Description	On July 22, 2011, the Board of Directors authorized a three-for-two stock split in the form of a stock dividend. The additional shares were distributed on August 24, 2011 to shareholders of record on August 10, 2011.

[1] Upon maturity of the Senior Exchangeable Notes (the "Notes"), Rayonier will not issue additional shares for the Notes due to the offsetting exchangeable note hedges (the "hedges"). However, accounting guidance under Accounting Standards Codification 260, Earnings Per Share requires the assumed conversion of the Notes to be included in dilutive shares, while the assumed conversion of the hedges are excluded since they are anti-dilutive. For additional information on the potential dilutive impact of the Senior Exchangeable Notes, warrants and exchangeable note hedges, see Note 11 - Debt in the 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K.