DEBT Shareholder Loan, Debt Covenants and Subsequent Event (Details) (USD $)	9 Months Ended				0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013 Matariki Forestry Group [Member] Noncontrolling interest shareholder loan at 0% interest rate [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Matariki Forestry Group [Member] Senior Secured Facilities Agreement as Amended July 2013 [Member]	Oct. 03, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Senior Exchangable Notes due 2015 - Third Settlement [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Subsequent Event [Member] Senior Exchangable Notes due 2015 - Third Settlement [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Face Amount			$ 32,000,000
Long-term Debt, Description			This loan represents part of the noncontrolling party’s investment in the New Zealand JV. The loan is secured by timberlands owned by the New Zealand JV and is subordinated to the Senior Secured Facilities Agreement. Although Rayonier Inc. is not liable for this loan, the shareholder loan instrument contains features with characteristics of both debt and equity and is therefore required to be classified as debt and consolidated.
Debt Instrument, Covenant Description				generation of sufficient cash flows to meet a minimum interest coverage ratio of 1.25 to 1 on a quarterly basis and maintenance of a leverage ratio of bank debt versus the forest and land valuation below the covenant's maximum ratio of 40 percent.
Minimum interest coverage ratio				125.00%
Maximum leverage ratio				40.00%
Debt Instrument, Covenant Compliance				At September 30, 2013, the New Zealand JV was in compliance with all its covenants.
Subsequent Event, Date					Oct. 03, 2013
Redemption amount settled					10,000,000
Loss on Extinguishment of Debt	$ 3,017,000	$ 0				$ 1,000,000