Consolidating Financial Statements Condensed Consolidating Statements of Cash Flows (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$ 353,642	$ 326,270
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(112,015)	(87,156)
Purchase of timberlands	(11,632)	(94,162)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(104,782)	(8,059)
Change in restricted cash	(12,796)	8,323
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	4,281	513
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(236,944)	(180,541)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	355,000	180,000
Repayment of debt	(198,653)	(180,000)
Dividends paid	(152,358)	(136,563)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	20,732	8,248
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	7,057	4,951
Debt issuance costs	(3,698)	(2,027)
Repurchase of common shares	(7,783)	(7,909)
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	20,297	(133,300)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(123)	393
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	136,872	12,822
Balance, beginning of year	78,603	349,463
Balance, end of period	215,475	362,285
Parent Company [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	23,916	136,224
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	325,000	0
Repayment of debt	(120,000)	0
Dividends paid	152,358	136,563
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	20,732	8,248
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	(3,698)	0
Repurchase of common shares	(7,783)	(7,909)
Issuance of intercompany notes	(9,000)
Intercompany distributions	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	52,893	(136,224)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	76,809	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	76,809	0
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	105,407	147,352
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(240)	(16)
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	(73,736)
Other	(69)	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(309)	(73,752)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	75,000
Repayment of debt	(30,000)	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(675)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	(24,529)	(135,309)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(54,529)	(60,984)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	50,569	12,616
Balance, beginning of year	8,977	29,759
Balance, end of period	59,546	42,375
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Issuer Subsidiary [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	12,000	15,000
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	(5,536)	68,613
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(5,536)	68,613
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	0
Repayment of debt	(23,153)	(75,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(676)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	(12,000)	(14,760)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(20,153)	(90,436)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	(13,689)	(6,823)
Balance, beginning of year	59,976	283,258
Balance, end of period	46,287	276,435
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries of Rayonier TRS Holdings Inc [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	191,883	165,221
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(84,259)	(60,950)
Purchase of timberlands	0	(5,638)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(104,782)	(8,059)
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	1,979	584
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(187,062)	(74,063)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	7,057	4,951
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	(10,023)	(87,508)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(2,966)	(82,557)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(123)	393
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	1,732	8,994
Balance, beginning of year	7,398	1,280
Balance, end of period	9,130	10,274
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Non-guarantor Subsidiaries All Other Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	125,524	136,241
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(27,516)	(26,190)
Purchase of timberlands	(11,632)	(88,524)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	(12,796)	8,323
Investment in Subsidiaries	0	0
Other	2,371	(71)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(49,573)	(106,462)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	105,000
Repayment of debt	(25,500)	(105,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(676)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	9,000
Intercompany distributions	(53,000)	(31,068)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(54,500)	(31,744)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	21,451	(1,965)
Balance, beginning of year	2,252	35,166
Balance, end of period	23,703	33,201
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 & 2015 [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(105,088)	(273,768)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Investment in Subsidiaries	5,536	5,123
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	5,536	5,123
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	99,552	268,645
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	99,552	268,645
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	0	0
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	285,901	293,595
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(84,627)	(60,887)
Purchase of timberlands	(101)	(83,574)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	(104,782)	(8,059)
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Other	1,910	584
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(187,600)	(151,936)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	75,000
Repayment of debt	(53,153)	(75,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	7,057	4,951
Debt issuance costs	0	(1,351)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	(24,529)	(135,309)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(55,625)	(131,709)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	42,676	9,950
Balance, beginning of year	58,132	303,746
Balance, end of period	100,808	313,696
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	121,354	62,828
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	(27,388)	(26,269)
Purchase of timberlands	(11,531)	(10,588)
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	(12,796)	8,323
Other	2,371	(71)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	(49,344)	(28,605)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	15,000	105,000
Repayment of debt	(25,500)	(105,000)
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	(676)
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	9,000
Intercompany distributions	(53,000)	(31,068)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	(54,500)	(31,744)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	(123)	393
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	17,387	2,872
Balance, beginning of year	20,471	45,717
Balance, end of period	37,858	48,589
Senior Notes due 2022 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member] | Consolidation, Eliminations [Member]
Statement of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY OPERATING ACTIVITIES	(77,529)	(166,377)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital Expenditures	0	0
Purchase of timberlands	0	0
Jesup mill cellulose specialties expansion	0	0
Change in restricted cash	0	0
Other	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY INVESTING ACTIVITIES	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt	0	0
Repayment of debt	0	0
Dividends paid	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares	0	0
Excess tax benefits on stock-based compensation	0	0
Debt issuance costs	0	0
Repurchase of common shares	0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes	0
Intercompany distributions	77,529	166,377
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) FINANCING ACTIVITIES	77,529	166,377
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	0	0
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS
Change in cash and cash equivalents	0	0
Balance, beginning of year	0	0
Balance, end of period	$ 0	$ 0