Segment Reporting Disclosure (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014	Jun. 30, 2015	Jun. 30, 2014
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 13,904	$ 18,583	$ 40,812	$ 56,362
Cost of sales	(8,815)	(11,377)	(23,312)	(30,301)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(4,909)	(4,069)	(9,247)	(8,676)
Income (loss) from operations	180	3,137	8,253	17,385
Fee Timber
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	9,272	17,495	25,218	39,604
Cost of sales	(5,838)	(10,335)	(15,440)	(21,439)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,846)	(2,111)	(3,330)	(3,895)
Income (loss) from operations	1,588	5,049	6,448	14,270
Fee Timber | Pope Resources
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,771	8,723	13,561	19,867
Cost of sales	(2,301)	(4,244)	(5,908)	(8,154)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,206)	(1,430)	(2,301)	(2,530)
Income (loss) from operations	1,264	3,049	5,352	9,183
Fee Timber | ORM Timber Funds
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,501	8,772	11,657	19,737
Cost of sales	(3,537)	(6,091)	(9,532)	(13,285)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(640)	(681)	(1,029)	(1,365)
Income (loss) from operations	324	2,000	1,096	5,087
Timberland Management
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(785)	(510)	(1,514)	(1,120)
Income (loss) from operations	(785)	(510)	(1,514)	(1,120)
Real Estate
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,632	1,088	15,594	16,758
Cost of sales	(2,977)	(1,042)	(7,872)	(8,862)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,080)	(998)	(2,015)	(1,889)
Income (loss) from operations	575	(952)	5,707	6,007
Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,198)	(450)	(2,388)	(1,772)
Income (loss) from operations	(1,198)	(450)	(2,388)	(1,772)
Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	14,768	19,614	42,626	58,451
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(5,773)	(5,100)	(11,061)	(10,765)
Income (loss) from operations	180	3,137	8,253	17,385
Internal | Fee Timber
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	9,336	17,656	25,364	39,919
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(2,613)	(2,951)	(4,931)	(5,610)
Income (loss) from operations	885	4,370	4,993	12,870
Internal | Fee Timber | Pope Resources
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,835	8,884	13,707	20,182
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,206)	(1,430)	(2,301)	(2,530)
Income (loss) from operations	1,328	3,210	5,498	9,498
Internal | Fee Timber | ORM Timber Funds
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,501	8,772	11,657	19,737
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,407)	(1,521)	(2,630)	(3,080)
Income (loss) from operations	(443)	1,160	(505)	3,372
Internal | Timberland Management
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	767	840	1,601	1,715
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(849)	(671)	(1,660)	(1,435)
Income (loss) from operations	(82)	169	(59)	280
Internal | Real Estate
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,665	1,118	15,661	16,817
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,084)	(998)	(2,024)	(1,889)
Income (loss) from operations	604	(922)	5,765	6,066
Internal | Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,227)	(480)	(2,446)	(1,831)
Income (loss) from operations	(1,227)	(480)	(2,446)	(1,831)
Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(864)	(1,031)	(1,814)	(2,089)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	864	1,031	1,814	2,089
Eliminations | Fee Timber
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(64)	(161)	(146)	(315)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	767	840	1,601	1,715
Income (loss) from operations	703	679	1,455	1,400
Eliminations | Fee Timber | Pope Resources
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(64)	(161)	(146)	(315)
Operating, general and administrative expenses		0		0
Income (loss) from operations	(64)	(161)	(146)	(315)
Eliminations | Fee Timber | ORM Timber Funds
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	767	840	1,601	1,715
Income (loss) from operations	767	840	1,601	1,715
Eliminations | Timberland Management
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(767)	(840)	(1,601)	(1,715)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	64	161	146	315
Income (loss) from operations	(703)	(679)	(1,455)	(1,400)
Eliminations | Real Estate
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(33)	(30)	(67)	(59)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	4	0	9	0
Income (loss) from operations	(29)	(30)	(58)	(59)
Eliminations | Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	29	30	58	59
Income (loss) from operations	$ 29	$ 30	$ 58	$ 59