Reconciliation of Internally Reported Income (Loss) from Operations to Externally Reported Income (Loss) from Operations by Business Segment (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 11,724	$ 14,595	$ 51,639	$ 41,189
Cost of sales	(7,769)	(7,037)	(28,718)	(22,157)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(4,485)	(4,146)	(12,834)	(23,700)
Income (loss) from operations	(530)	3,412	10,087	(4,668)
Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	12,622	15,262	54,314	43,243
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(5,383)	(4,813)	(15,509)	(25,754)
Income (loss) from operations	(530)	3,412	10,087	(4,668)
Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(898)	(667)	(2,675)	(2,054)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	898	667	2,675	2,054
Fee Timber
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	10,299	9,365	43,853	35,320
Cost of sales	(6,849)	(6,056)	(25,629)	(20,551)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,921)	(1,654)	(5,133)	(4,530)
Income (loss) from operations	1,529	1,655	13,091	10,239
Fee Timber | Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	10,467	9,505	44,302	35,735
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(2,617)	(2,181)	(7,266)	(6,169)
Income (loss) from operations	1,001	1,268	11,407	9,015
Fee Timber | Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(168)	(140)	(449)	(415)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	696	527	2,133	1,639
Income (loss) from operations	528	387	1,684	1,224
Fee Timber | Pope Resources Timber
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	4,999	5,866	24,475	24,466
Cost of sales	(2,374)	(2,797)	(10,394)	(11,149)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,230)	(1,108)	(3,353)	(3,070)
Income (loss) from operations	1,395	1,961	10,728	10,247
Fee Timber | Pope Resources Timber | Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	5,167	6,006	24,924	24,881
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,231)	(1,120)	(3,378)	(3,106)
Income (loss) from operations	1,562	2,089	11,152	10,626
Fee Timber | Pope Resources Timber | Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(168)	(140)	(449)	(415)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	1	12	25	36
Income (loss) from operations	(167)	(128)	(424)	(379)
Fee Timber | ORM Timber Funds
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	5,300	3,499	19,378	10,854
Cost of sales	(4,475)	(3,259)	(15,235)	(9,402)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(691)	(546)	(1,780)	(1,460)
Income (loss) from operations	134	(306)	2,363	(8)
Fee Timber | ORM Timber Funds | Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	5,300	3,499	19,378	10,854
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,386)	(1,061)	(3,888)	(3,063)
Income (loss) from operations	(561)	(821)	255	(1,611)
Fee Timber | ORM Timber Funds | Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	695	515	2,108	1,603
Income (loss) from operations	695	515	2,108	1,603
Timberland Management & Consulting
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(475)	(372)	(1,484)	(1,179)
Income (loss) from operations	(475)	(372)	(1,484)	(1,179)
Timberland Management & Consulting | Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	701	515	2,114	1,603
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(649)	(512)	(1,939)	(1,594)
Income (loss) from operations	52	3	175	9
Timberland Management & Consulting | Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(701)	(515)	(2,114)	(1,603)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	174	140	455	415
Income (loss) from operations	(527)	(375)	(1,659)	(1,188)
Real Estate
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	1,425	5,230	7,786	5,869
Cost of sales	(920)	(981)	(3,089)	(1,606)
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,087)	(1,288)	(2,784)	(14,991)
Income (loss) from operations	(582)	2,961	1,913	(10,728)
Real Estate | Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	1,454	5,242	7,898	5,905
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,087)	(1,288)	(2,784)	(14,991)	[1]
Income (loss) from operations	(553)	2,973	2,025	(10,692)
Real Estate | Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Revenue	(29)	(12)	(112)	(36)
Income (loss) from operations	(29)	(12)	(112)	(36)
Other
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,002)	(832)	(3,433)	(3,000)
Income (loss) from operations	(1,002)	(832)	(3,433)	(3,000)
Other | Internal
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	(1,030)	(832)	(3,520)	(3,000)
Income (loss) from operations	(1,030)	(832)	(3,520)	(3,000)
Other | Eliminations
Segment Reporting, Reconciling Item for Operating Profit (Loss) from Segment to Consolidated [Line Items]
Operating, general and administrative expenses	28		87
Income (loss) from operations	$ 28		$ 87

[1] Includes $12.5 MM of environmental remediation expense