CONSOLIDATING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - Cash Flow (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		12 Months Ended
		Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES		$ 214,253	$ 310,096	$ 256,284
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(63,996)	(62,325)	(65,345)
Real estate development investments		(6,803)	(9,501)	(15,784)
Purchase of timberlands		(142,287)	(57,608)	(242,910)
Net proceeds from large disposition of timberlands		0	0	95,243
Rayonier office building under construction		0	0	(6,084)
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0	0
Other		(6,304)	(3,421)	(373)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(219,390)	(132,855)	(235,253)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		82,000	1,014	63,389
Repayment of debt		0	(54,416)	(100,157)
Dividends paid		(141,071)	(136,772)	(127,069)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares under incentive stock plan		1,260	8,591	4,751
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares from equity offering, net of costs		0	0	152,390
Repurchase of common shares to pay withholding taxes on vested incentive stock awards		(4,250)	(2,984)	(176)
Proceeds used for Share Buybacks		(8,430)	0	0
Proceeds from shareholder distribution hedge		135	2,025	0
Distribution to minority shareholder		(9,161)	(11,172)	0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	0	0
Debt issuance cost		(132)	0	0
Intercompany distributions		0	0	0
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(79,649)	(193,714)	(6,872)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		(1,700)	571	580
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH (a)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash	[1]	(86,486)	(15,902)	14,739
Balance, beginning of year	[1]	156,454	172,356	157,617
Balance, end of year	[1]	69,968	156,454	172,356
Consolidating Adjustments
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES		0	0	0
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		0	0	0
Real estate development investments		0	0	0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0	0
Net proceeds from large disposition of timberlands				0
Rayonier office building under construction				0
Investment in Subsidiaries		406	(6,128)	(38,546)
Other		0	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		406	(6,128)	(38,546)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		0	0	0
Repayment of debt		0	0	0
Dividends paid		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares under incentive stock plan		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares from equity offering, net of costs				0
Repurchase of common shares to pay withholding taxes on vested incentive stock awards		0	0	0
Proceeds used for Share Buybacks		0
Proceeds from shareholder distribution hedge		0	0
Distribution to minority shareholder		0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	0	0
Debt issuance cost		0
Intercompany distributions		(406)	6,128	38,546
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(406)	6,128	38,546
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0	0
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH (a)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		0	0	0
Balance, beginning of year		0	0	0
Balance, end of year		0	0	0
Rayonier Inc. (Parent Issuer) | Reportable Legal Entities
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES		(21,865)	284,781	(48,104)
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		0	0	0
Real estate development investments		0	0	0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0	0
Net proceeds from large disposition of timberlands				0
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0	0
Other		0	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		0	0	0
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		0	0	0
Repayment of debt		0	0	0
Dividends paid		(139,531)	(136,698)	(127,069)
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares under incentive stock plan		1,260	8,591	4,751
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares from equity offering, net of costs				152,390
Repurchase of common shares to pay withholding taxes on vested incentive stock awards		(4,250)	(2,984)	(176)
Proceeds used for Share Buybacks		0
Proceeds from shareholder distribution hedge		0	0
Distribution to minority shareholder		0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	299,715	(32,000)
Debt issuance cost		0
Intercompany distributions		164,328	(501,608)	77,319
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES		21,807	(332,984)	75,215
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0	0
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH (a)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(58)	(48,203)	27,111
Balance, beginning of year		361	48,564	21,453
Balance, end of year		303	361	48,564
Subsidiary Guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES		(12,730)	182,057	111,431
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(641)	(59)	0
Real estate development investments		0	0	0
Purchase of timberlands		0	0	0
Net proceeds from large disposition of timberlands				0
Investment in Subsidiaries		(406)	6,128	38,546
Other		(8,754)	0	0
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(9,801)	6,069	38,546
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		82,000	0	25,000
Repayment of debt		0	(50,000)	(15,000)
Dividends paid		(32,239)	(74)	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares under incentive stock plan		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares from equity offering, net of costs				0
Repurchase of common shares to pay withholding taxes on vested incentive stock awards		0	0	0
Proceeds used for Share Buybacks		(8,430)
Proceeds from shareholder distribution hedge		0	0
Distribution to minority shareholder		0	0
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	18,961	0
Debt issuance cost		(132)
Intercompany distributions		(77,653)	(77,278)	(144,396)
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(36,454)	(108,391)	(134,396)
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		0	0	0
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH (a)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(58,985)	79,735	15,581
Balance, beginning of year		104,777	25,042	9,461
Balance, end of year		45,792	104,777	25,042
Non- guarantors | Reportable Legal Entities
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows [Abstract]
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) OPERATING ACTIVITIES		248,848	(156,742)	192,957
INVESTING ACTIVITIES
Capital expenditures		(63,355)	(62,266)	(65,345)
Real estate development investments		(6,803)	(9,501)	(15,784)
Purchase of timberlands		(142,287)	(57,608)	(242,910)
Net proceeds from large disposition of timberlands				95,243
Rayonier office building under construction				(6,084)
Investment in Subsidiaries		0	0	0
Other		2,450	(3,421)	(373)
CASH PROVIDED BY (USED FOR) INVESTING ACTIVITIES		(209,995)	(132,796)	(235,253)
FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Issuance of debt		0	1,014	38,389
Repayment of debt		0	(4,416)	(85,157)
Dividends paid		30,699	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares under incentive stock plan		0	0	0
Proceeds from the issuance of common shares from equity offering, net of costs				0
Repurchase of common shares to pay withholding taxes on vested incentive stock awards		0	0	0
Proceeds used for Share Buybacks		0
Proceeds from shareholder distribution hedge		135	2,025
Distribution to minority shareholder		(9,161)	(11,172)
Issuance of intercompany notes		0	(318,676)	32,000
Debt issuance cost		0
Intercompany distributions		(86,269)	572,758	28,531
CASH (USED FOR) PROVIDED BY FINANCING ACTIVITIES		(64,596)	241,533	13,763
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH		(1,700)	571	580
CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH (a)
Change in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash		(27,443)	(47,434)	(27,953)
Balance, beginning of year		51,316	98,750	126,703
Balance, end of year		$ 23,873	$ 51,316	$ 98,750

[1] Interest paid is presented net of patronage payments received of $4.0 million, $4.1 million and $3.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. For additional information on patronage payments, see Note 6 — Debt.