Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheets (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Sep. 30, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 215,475	$ 78,603	$ 362,285	$ 349,463
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	109,943	95,008
Inventory	121,083	121,998
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	78,680	48,893
Total current assets	525,181	344,502
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,489,889	1,503,711
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	629,811	461,552
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	70,189	69,219
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	198,798	190,364
TOTAL ASSETS	2,913,868	2,569,348
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	91,662	72,873
Current maturities of long-term debt	41,268	28,110
Accrued taxes	64,722	5,223
Accrued payroll and benefits	25,066	26,846
Accrued interest	17,401	7,044
Accrued customer incentives	9,620	10,369
Other current liabilities	28,398	17,855
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	8,929	9,931
Total current liabilities	287,066	178,251
LONG-TERM DEBT	967,785	819,229
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	75,524	80,893
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	140,153	140,623
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	25,374	27,279
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	1,495,902	1,246,275
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,417,966	1,323,073		1,251,582
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	2,913,868	2,569,348
Parent Company [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	76,809	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	11	0
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	76,820	0
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,449,432	1,238,661
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	220,188	204,420
OTHER ASSETS	3,500	0
TOTAL ASSETS	1,749,940	1,443,081
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	6,974	8
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	6,974	8
LONG-TERM DEBT	325,000	120,000
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	331,974	120,008
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,417,966	1,323,073
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,749,940	1,443,081
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	59,546	8,977	42,375	29,759
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	234	3
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	831	2,328
Total current assets	60,611	11,308
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	2,408	2,551
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,638,041	1,490,444
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	26,663	26,850
TOTAL ASSETS	1,727,723	1,531,153
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	1,025	1,801
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	1,531	(27)
Accrued payroll and benefits	13,994	13,810
Accrued interest	461	246
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	2,434	1,886
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	19,445	17,716
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	30,000
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	114,586	112,904
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	18,058	20,210
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	126,202	111,662
TOTAL LIABILITIES	278,291	292,492
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,449,432	1,238,661
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,727,723	1,531,153
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Issuer Subsidiary [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	46,287	59,976	276,435	283,258
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	709	808
Total current assets	46,996	60,784
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	0	0
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	1,289,147	1,156,896
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	19,642	19,073
OTHER ASSETS	4,228	6,491
TOTAL ASSETS	1,360,013	1,243,244
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	1	10
Current maturities of long-term debt	41,268	28,110
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	8,734	5,442
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	50,003	33,562
LONG-TERM DEBT	565,878	580,647
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	0	0
TOTAL LIABILITIES	615,881	614,209
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	744,132	629,035
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,360,013	1,243,244
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Rayonier TRS Holdings Inc [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	9,130	7,398	10,274	1,280
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	106,534	94,399
Inventory	139,521	133,300
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	67,984	36,937
Total current assets	323,169	272,034
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	39,677	39,824
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	624,185	456,754
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	(10,741)	(11,006)
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	690,362	702,087
TOTAL ASSETS	1,666,652	1,459,693
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	86,455	69,648
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	56,995	3,934
Accrued payroll and benefits	9,224	10,563
Accrued interest	699	739
Accrued customer incentives	9,620	10,369
Other current liabilities	8,413	9,199
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	8,929	9,931
Total current liabilities	180,335	114,383
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	75,524	80,893
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	25,567	27,719
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	6,736	6,396
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	89,343	73,406
TOTAL LIABILITIES	377,505	302,797
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,289,147	1,156,896
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,666,652	1,459,693
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	23,703	2,252	33,201	35,166
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	3,164	606
Inventory	0	0
Intercompany interest receivable	3,153	3,848
Prepaid and other current assets	9,156	8,820
Total current assets	39,176	15,526
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,448,418	1,462,027
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	3,218	2,247
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	80,930	80,225
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	18,167	6,856
TOTAL ASSETS	1,589,909	1,566,881
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	4,181	1,414
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	6,196	1,316
Accrued payroll and benefits	1,848	2,473
Accrued interest	533	609
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	17,551	6,770
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	30,309	12,582
LONG-TERM DEBT	76,907	88,582
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	580	673
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	219,632	203,208
TOTAL LIABILITIES	327,428	305,045
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,262,481	1,261,836
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,589,909	1,566,881
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	(18,438)	(11,302)
Intercompany interest receivable	(3,153)	(3,848)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(21,591)	(15,150)
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,794	1,860
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(4,376,620)	(3,886,001)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(239,830)	(223,493)
OTHER ASSETS	(544,122)	(551,920)
TOTAL ASSETS	(5,180,369)	(4,674,704)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(435,177)	(388,276)
TOTAL LIABILITIES	(435,177)	(388,276)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(4,745,192)	(4,286,428)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(5,180,369)	(4,674,704)
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	100,808	58,132	313,696	303,746
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	103,668	90,658
Inventory	138,478	132,323
Intercompany interest receivable	0	0
Prepaid and other current assets	64,448	39,366
Total current assets	407,402	320,479
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	115,030	117,243
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	625,544	458,497
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	834,374	801,838
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	696,817	710,663
TOTAL ASSETS	2,679,167	2,408,720
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	83,347	65,732
Current maturities of long-term debt	41,268	28,110
Accrued taxes	58,631	3,838
Accrued payroll and benefits	22,603	23,070
Accrued interest	9,894	6,427
Accrued customer incentives	9,620	10,369
Other current liabilities	10,114	10,319
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	8,929	9,931
Total current liabilities	244,406	157,796
LONG-TERM DEBT	565,878	610,647
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	75,524	80,893
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	140,153	140,623
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	24,009	25,894
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	179,765	154,206
TOTAL LIABILITIES	1,229,735	1,170,059
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,449,432	1,238,661
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	2,679,167	2,408,720
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	37,858	20,471	48,589	45,717
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	6,264	4,350
Inventory	1,043	977
Intercompany interest receivable	3,153	3,848
Prepaid and other current assets	14,232	9,527
Total current assets	62,550	39,173
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,373,065	1,384,608
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	4,267	3,055
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	70,189	69,219
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	0	0
OTHER ASSETS	42,603	31,622
TOTAL ASSETS	1,552,674	1,527,677
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	8,315	7,141
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	6,091	1,385
Accrued payroll and benefits	2,463	3,776
Accrued interest	533	609
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	18,284	7,536
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	35,686	20,447
LONG-TERM DEBT	76,907	88,582
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	1,365	1,385
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	235,770	214,997
TOTAL LIABILITIES	349,728	325,411
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,202,946	1,202,266
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	1,552,674	1,527,677
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
CURRENT ASSETS
Cash and cash equivalents	0	0	0	0
Accounts receivable, less allowance for doubtful accounts	0	0
Inventory	(18,438)	(11,302)
Intercompany interest receivable	(3,153)	(3,848)
Prepaid and other current assets	0	0
Total current assets	(21,591)	(15,150)
TIMBER AND TIMBERLANDS, NET OF DEPLETION AND AMORTIZATION	1,794	1,860
NET PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT	0	0
INVESTMENT IN JOINT VENTURE	0	0
INVESTMENT IN SUBSIDIARIES	(2,283,806)	(2,040,499)
INTERCOMPANY NOTES RECEIVABLE	(220,188)	(204,420)
OTHER ASSETS	(544,122)	(551,921)
TOTAL ASSETS	(3,067,913)	(2,810,130)
CURRENT LIABILITIES
Accounts payable	0	0
Current maturities of long-term debt	0	0
Accrued taxes	0	0
Accrued payroll and benefits	0	0
Accrued interest	0	0
Accrued customer incentives	0	0
Other current liabilities	0	0
Current liabilities for dispositions and discontinued operations	0	0
Total current liabilities	0	0
LONG-TERM DEBT	0	0
NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES FOR DISPOSITIONS AND DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS	0	0
PENSION AND OTHER POSTRETIREMENT BENEFITS	0	0
OTHER NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES	0	0
INTERCOMPANY PAYABLE	(415,535)	(369,203)
TOTAL LIABILITIES	(415,535)	(369,203)
TOTAL SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	(2,652,378)	(2,440,927)
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY	$ (3,067,913)	$ (2,810,130)