Earnings Per Common Share (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended										12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011		Sep. 30, 2011		Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011		Dec. 31, 2010
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]
Net income	$ 75,609	$ 80,560	$ 69,079	$ 53,437	$ 56,230	[1]	$ 104,909	[2]	$ 56,454	$ 58,412	$ 278,685		$ 276,005		$ 217,586
Shares used for determining basic earnings per common share											122,711,802		121,662,985		120,240,275
Dilutive Effect of:
Stock Options											634,218		702,693		593,768
Performance and restricted shares											757,308		982,951		1,034,319
Assumed conversion of Senior Exchangeable Notes											2,888,650	[3]	1,895,762	[3]	0	[3]
Assumed conversion of warrants											1,710,445	[3]	149,900	[3]	0	[3]
Shares used for determining diluted earnings per common share											128,702,423		125,394,291		121,868,362
Basic earnings per common share	$ 0.61	$ 0.66	$ 0.56	$ 0.44	$ 0.46		$ 0.86		$ 0.46	$ 0.48	$ 2.27		$ 2.27		$ 1.81
Diluted earnings per common share	$ 0.59	$ 0.62	$ 0.54	$ 0.42	$ 0.45		$ 0.84		$ 0.45	$ 0.47	$ 2.17		$ 2.20		$ 1.79
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 at a fixed interest rate of 3.75% [Member]
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Strike price of warrants	41.41										41.41
Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 at a fixed interest rate of 4.50% [Member]
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]
Strike price of warrants	39.50										39.50

[1] Fourth quarter 2011 included a pre-tax expense of $6.5 million ($4.1 million after tax) due to an increase in a disposition reserve.

[2] Third quarter 2011 included a benefit of $16.0 million from the reversal of a reserve related to the taxability of the AFMC.

[3] The Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2012 (the “2012 Notes”) matured in October 2012; however, no additional shares were issued due to the offsetting exchangeable note hedges (the “hedges”). Similarly, Rayonier will not issue additional shares upon maturity of the Senior Exchangeable Notes due 2015 (the “2015 Notes”) due to the offsetting hedges. 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 conversion of the hedges is excluded since they are anti-dilutive. As such, the dilutive effect of the assumed conversion of the Senior Exchangeable Notes was included through the retirement date for the 2012 Notes and the full year for the 2015 Notes. Rayonier will distribute additional shares upon maturity of the warrants if the stock price exceeds the strike prices of $41.41 for the Notes due 2012 and $39.50 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.