Sale of Wood Products Business (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Mar. 01, 2013
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Description of Proceeds from Divestiture of Business	$80 million plus a working capital adjustment
After-tax gain on gain on disposal	$ 42,670	$ 0
Operating results of discontinued operations
Income tax expense	(22,273)	(422)
Income from discontinued operations, net	44,477	838
Wood Products business [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Description and Timing of Disposal	On March 1, 2013, Rayonier completed the previously announced sale of its Wood Products business (consisting of three lumber mills in Baxley, Swainsboro and Eatonton, Georgia) to International Forest Products Limited (“Interfor”)
Description of Proceeds from Divestiture of Business	$80 million plus a working capital adjustment
Segment that Includes Disposal Group	Wood Products business, formerly reported as a separate operating segment
After-tax gain on gain on disposal	42,700
Operating results of discontinued operations
Sales	16,968	19,209
Cost of sales and other	(14,258)	(17,949)
Gain on sale of discontinued operations	64,040	0
Income from discontinued operations, before income taxes	66,750	1,260
Income tax expense	(22,273)	(422)
Major classes of Wood Products' assets and liabilities included in the sale
Accounts receivable, net			4,127
Inventory			4,270
Prepaid and other current assets			2,053
Property, plant and equipment, net			9,990
Total assets			20,440
Total liabilities			596
Cash Flows of Disposal Group	Cash flows from discontinued operations are immaterial both individually and in the aggregate. As such, they are included with cash flows from continuing operations in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Continuation of Activities with Discontinued Operation after Disposal, Description	Pursuant to the purchase and sale agreement, Rayonier will provide Interfor with saw timber procurement services for the three lumber mills through December 31, 2013. Rayonier also contracted with Interfor to purchase wood chips produced at the lumber mills for use at Rayonier's Jesup pulp mill and market other wood chips produced by the mills to third parties on Interfor's behalf. The Company will purchase 100 percent of the Baxley mill chips for five years and 25 percent of the Swainsboro mill chips through the end of 2013. The purchase price of these chips will be based on the average price paid by the Company to unrelated third parties.
Wood chip purchases	1,650	3,234
Saw timber procurement services	223	287
Total intercompany	$ 1,873	$ 3,521