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, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Sep. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2011		Dec. 31, 2011
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net Income	$ 80,560		$ 104,909		$ 203,076		$ 219,774		$ 276,005
Shares used for determining basic earnings per common share	122,848,705		121,790,059		122,552,910		121,665,644
Dilutive effect of:
Stock options	603,761		689,643		667,960		716,095
Performance and restricted shares	755,884		1,179,047		735,653		1,121,909
Assumed conversion of Senior Exchangeable Notes	3,683,936	[1],[2]	1,823,600	[1],[2]	3,148,423	[1],[2]	1,883,270	[1],[2]
Assumed conversion of warrants	2,067,380	[1],[2]	117,260	[1],[2]	1,443,606	[1],[2]	143,182	[1],[2]
Shares used for determining diluted earnings per common share	129,959,666		125,599,609		128,548,552		125,530,100
Basic earnings per common share	$ 0.66		$ 0.86		$ 1.66		$ 1.81
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 0.62		$ 0.84		$ 1.58		$ 1.75
Average Stock Price	$ 48.13		$ 40.93		$ 45.65		$ 41.14
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member]
Statement [Line Items]
Strike price of warrants	41.50				41.50
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member]
Statement [Line Items]
Strike price of warrants	39.58				39.58

[1] Upon maturity of the Senior Exchangeable Notes (the "Notes"), Rayonier will not issue additional shares for the full difference between the strike price and the market price due to the offsetting exchangeable note hedges (the "hedges"). However, Accounting Standards Codification 260, Earnings Per Share requires the assumed conversion of the Notes to be included in dilutive shares if the average stock price for the period exceeds the strike prices, while the assumed exercise of the hedges are excluded since they are anti-dilutive. Rayonier will distribute additional shares upon maturity of the warrants if the stock price exceeds the strike prices of $41.50 for the Notes due 2012 and $39.58 for the Notes due 2015. For additional information on the potential dilutive impact of the Senior Exchangeable Notes, warrants and exchangeable note hedges, see Note 11 — Debt in the 2011 Annual Report on Form 10-K and Note 13 — Debt of this Form 10-Q.

[2] The higher number of shares in 2012 was primarily due to an increase in the average stock price from $40.93 for the three months ended September 30, 2011 to $48.13 for the three months ended September 30, 2012 and from $41.14 for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 to $45.65 for the nine months ended September 30, 2012.